Thin Film Electrolyte/Electrode Development and Enhanced Ionic Transport in Miniaturized Solid Oxide Fuel Cells on Silicon Chips
EMSL Project ID
19848
Abstract
This user proposal aims to develop a fundamental scientific understanding of ionic transport in thin film solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) electrode/electrolyte layers in the temperature range of 300-500 0C. Current SOFCs are designed to operate at and above 800 0C. High temperature SOFC operation often results in increased carbonization, high operating cost and increased thermal stress as well as significant heat management issues. Thus, one of the important challenges is primarily related to the lowering of SOFC operating temperatures. To overcome this challenge, there is a great need for new designs, novel engineering along with full utilization of the (ionic) transport properties in best known materials. There is also a need to understand and overcome the polarization effects at the electrode interfaces and reduce the overpotentials at the electrode interfaces. By utilizing the strain effect at the electrode interfaces, it may be possible to tune the total conduction in a positive way that would greatly help to lower the overall SOFC operating temperature. Later on we plan to transfer the optimized layer (transport) properties to develop solid oxide fuel cells (SOFC) on micro-fabricated on silicon chips.
Project Details
Project type
Large-Scale EMSL Research
Start Date
2006-08-01
End Date
2008-11-05
Status
Closed
Released Data Link
Team
Principal Investigator
Team Members