Description:
Reference #: 01413
The University of South Carolina is offering licensing opportunities for a Method to Make Isostructural Bilayer Cathodes
Background:
The commercial development of solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) technology in recent decades has primarily focused on how to lower the working temperature so that cost and reliability of SOFC can both be improved to meet the targets for practical applications, while still maintaining reasonable performance. The current benchmark cathodes, in general, have an insufficient rate of kinetics towards an oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) to yield a low enough polarization resistance in a reduced temperature range. A representative of the 1st-gen benchmark cathodes is Lanthanum strontium manganite(LSM), a pure electronic conductor that confines its ORR to triple-phase (air/cathode/electrolyte) boundaries (3PBs); this limitation has narrowed the application of LSM based cathodes to 900-1000 degrees Celsius.
Invention Description:
This disclosure describes a new type of solid oxide fuel cell cathode with high electrochemical performance and resistance to Cr, H2O and CO2 attacks. An effective combination of two isostructural materials is realized by this study in a form of bilayer structure through solution infiltration and high-temperature calcination. The invention shows a drastically enhanced ORR (oxygen reduction reaction) activity and stability. The polarization resistance remains mostly stable whereas the performance of the pristine LSCF degrades appreciably. The invention presented promises a new approach to developing electrodes for commercial solid oxide fuel cells as well as intermediate temperature solid oxide electrolysis cells (IT-SOECs) for CO2/H2O reduction.
Potential Applications:
Solid oxide fuel cells and solid oxide electrolysis cells optimization.
Advantages and Benefits:
Cr-poisoning is a critical issue for the lifespan of current solid oxide fuel cell generators. The disclosed new cathode has a strong tolerance to Cr-poisoning; thus, it can last longer in the fuel cell stack.