| 1. |
- Wang, Xiaodi, 1981-
(author)
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Dual-ion Conducting Nanocompoiste for Low Temperature Solid Oxide Fuel Cell
- 2012
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Doctoral thesis (other academic/artistic)abstract
- Solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) are considered as one of the most promising power generation technologies due to their high energy conversion efficiency, fuel flexibility and reduced pollution. There is a broad interest in reducing the operating temperature of SOFCs. The key issue to develop low-temperature (300~600 °C) SOFCs (LTSOFCs) is to explore new electrolyte materials. Recently, ceria-based composite electrolytes have been developed as capable alternative electrolyte for LTSOFCs. The ceria-based composite electrolyte has displayed high ionic conductivity and excellent fuel cell performance below 600 °C, which has opened up a new horizon in the LTSOFCs field. In this thesis, we are aiming at exploring nanostructured composite materials for LTSOFCs with superior properties, investigating the detailed conduction mechanism for their enhanced ionic conductivity, and extending more suitable composite system and nanostructure materials.In the first part, core-shell samarium doped ceria-carbonate nanocomposite (SDC/Na2CO3) was synthesized for the first time. The core-shell nanocomposite was composed of SDC particles smaller than 100 nm coated with amorphous Na2CO3 shell. The nanocomposite has been applied in LTSOFCs with excellent performance. A freeze dry method was used to prepare the SDC/Na2CO3 nanocomposites, aiming to further enhance its phase homogeneity. The ionic conduction behavior of the SDC/Na2CO3 nanocomposite has been studied. The results indicated that H+ conductivity in the nanocomposite is predominant over O2- conductivity with 1-2 orders of magnitude in the temperature range of 200-600 °C, indicating the proton conduction in the nanocomposite mainly accounts for the enhanced total ionic conductivity. The influence of Na2CO3 content to the proton and oxygen ion conductivity in the nanocomposite was studied as well.In the second part, both the proton and oxygen ion conduction mechanisms have been studied. It is suggested that the interface in the nanocomposite electrolyte supplies high conductive path for the proton, while oxygen ions are probably transported by the SDC grain interiors. An empirical “Swing Model” has been proposed as a possible mechanism of superior proton conduction, while oxygen ion conduction is attributed to oxygen vacancies through SDC grain in nanocomposite electrolyte.In the final part, a novel concept of non-ceria-salt-composites electrolyte, LiAlO2-carbonate composite electrolyte, has been investigated for LTSOFCs. The LiAlO2-carbonate electrolyte exhibits good conductivity and excellent fuel cell performances below 650 °C. The work not only developed a more stable composite material, but also strongly demonstrated that the high ionic conductivity is mainly related to interface effect between oxide and carbonate. As a potential candidate for nanocomposite, uniform quasi-octahedral CeO2 mesocrystals was synthesized in this thesis work as well. The CeO2 mesocrystals shows excellent thermal stability, and display potential for fuel cell applications.
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| 2. |
- Wang, Xiaodi, 1981-
(author)
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Ionic Conducting Composite as Electrolyte forLow Temperature Solid Oxide Fuel Cells
- 2010
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Licentiate thesis (other academic/artistic)abstract
- Solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) are considered as one of the most promising powergeneration technologies due to their high energy conversion efficiency, fuel flexibilityand reduced pollution. The current SOFCs with yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ)electrolyte require high operation temperature (800-1000 °C), which not only hinderstheir broad commercialization due to associated high cost and technologicalcomplications. Therefore, there is a broad interest in reducing the operating temperatureof SOFCs. The key to development of low-temperature SOFCs (LTSOFCs) is to explorenew electrolyte materials with high ionic conductivity at such low temperature (300-600 °C).Recently, ceria-based composite electrolyte, consisting of doped cerium oxide mixedwith a second phase (e.g. Na2CO3), has been investigated as a promising electrolyte forLTSOFCs. The ceria-based composite electrolyte has shown a high ionic conductivityand improved fuel cell performance below 600 °C. However, at present the developmentof composite electrolyte materials and their application in LTSOFCs are still at an initialstage. This thesis aims at exploring new composite systems for LTSOFCs with superiorproperties, and investigates conductivity behavior of the electrolyte. Two compositesystems for SOFCs have been studied in the thesis.In the first system, a novel concept of non-ceria-salt-composites electrolyte, LiAlO2-carbonate (Li2CO3-Na2CO3) composite electrolyte, was investigated for SOFCs. TheLiAlO2-carbonate electrolyte exhibited good conductivity and excellent fuel cellperformances below 650 oC. The ion transport mechanism of the LiAlO2-carbonatecomposite electrolyte was studied. The results indicated that the high ionic conductivityrelates to the interface effect between oxide and carbonate.In the second system, we reported a novel core-shell samarium-doped ceria(SDC)/Na2CO3 nanocomposite which is proposed for the first time, since the interface isdominant in the nanostructured composite materials. The core-shell nanocompositeparticles are smaller than 100 nm with amorphous Na2CO3 shell. The nanocompositeelectrolyte was applied in LTSOFCs and showed excellent performance. Theconductivity behavior and charge carriers have been studied. The results indicated that H+conductivity in SDC/Na2CO3 nanocomposite is predominant over O2- conductivity with1-2 orders of magnitude in the temperature range of 200-600 °C. It is suggested that theinterface in composite electrolyte supplies high conductive path for proton, while oxygenions are most probably transported by the SDC nano grain interiors. Finally, a tentativemodel “swing mechanism” was proposed for explanation of superior proton conduction.
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| 3. |
- Wang, Xiaodi, 1981-, et al.
(author)
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SDC/Na2CO3 nanocomposite : New freeze drying based synthesis and application as electrolyte in low-temperature solid oxide fuel cells
- 2012
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In: International journal of hydrogen energy. - : Elsevier BV. - 0360-3199 .- 1879-3487. ; 37:24, s. 19380-19387
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- A key issue to develop low-temperature solid oxide fuel cells (LTSOFCs) is to develop new electrolyte materials with enhanced ionic conductivity. Recently, SDC/Na2CO3 nanocomposite, as a proton and oxide co-ion conductor, has been developed as promising electrolyte candidates for LTSOFCs, where Na2CO3 as the secondary phase performs several crucial functions. However, it's difficult to control the homogeneity of Na 2CO3 phase in the composite by the current methods for composite fabrication. In this study, we report a new freeze drying technique to fabricate SDC/Na2CO3 nanocomposites with different content of Na2CO3. Structural and morphological study confirmed that the homogeneity of both SDC and Na2CO3 phases in the nanocomposite is well controlled by the freeze drying technique. The effect of Na2CO3 content on proton and oxygen ion conductivities of SDC-carbonate samples were investigated by the four-probe d.c. measurement. Proton conductivity transformation around 350 °C has been observed for all the SDC/Na2CO3 nanocomposites due to the glass transition of amorphous Na2CO3 phase, and the proton conductivity is dependent on Na2CO3 content. While oxygen ion conductivity deceases with the increasing of Na2CO3 volume fraction in the nanocomposite. Finally, SOFCs were fabricated using SDC/Na2CO3 nanocomposite samples and tested for electrochemical performances. The excellent performance of SOFCs using SDC/Na2CO3 nanocomposite electrolyte verifies that nanocomposite approach is an effective way to fabricate electrolyte with enhanced ionic conductivity for LTSOFCs.
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| 4. |
- Wang, Xiaodi, 1981-, et al.
(author)
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State of the art ceria-carbonate composites (3C) electrolyte for advanced low temperature ceramic fuel cells (LTCFCs)
- 2012
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In: International journal of hydrogen energy. - : Elsevier BV. - 0360-3199 .- 1879-3487. ; 37:24, s. 19417-19425
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) are considered as one of the most promising power-generation technologies. However, the current high operation temperature (800-1000 °C) of SOFCs impedes their commercialization significantly. A key requirement for reducing the operation temperature of SOFCs is to improve the performance of the electrolyte at such low temperature. Recently, ceria-based composite materials, especially ceria-carbonate composites (3C), have been developed as competitive electrolyte candidates for SOFCs operated below 600 °C, which resulted in an emerging R & D upsurge followed up by worldwide activities. This report gives a short review on current worldwide activities on 3C for advanced low temperature ceramic fuel cells (LTCFCs), which mainly based on recent more than 70 publications since 2010. It gives an overview of materials composition and microstructure, multi-ion conduction effects, durability of the 3C materials in the areas of LTCFC or joint SOFC/MCFC filed, as well as some other novel applications of the 3C materials.
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| 5. |
- Wang, Xiaodi, 1981-, et al.
(author)
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Synthesis of uniform quasi-octahedral CeO2 mesocrystals via a surfactant-free route
- 2011
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In: Journal of nanoparticle research. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1388-0764 .- 1572-896X. ; 13:11, s. 5879-5885
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- A facile surfactant-free nonaqueous method is presented to prepare uniform quasi-octahedral ceria, CeO 2 , mesocrystals, in which only Ce(NO 3 ) 3 and octanol were used as the reactants at a reaction temperature of 150 °C. CeO 2 sample synthesized using this technique consists of well-dispersed quasi-octahedrons and exhibits an uniform size and morphology. Based on structural characterization, it is proposed that the CeO 2 mesostructure was formed by self-assembly of primary nanocrystals based on unique 3D oriented-attachment mechanism. Optical characterization exhibited a strong quantum confinement, revealing small size of primary nanocrystals. The thermal stability and UV–Vis study reveal CeO 2 mesocrystal has various potential for high temperature applications and optical apparatus applications.
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