• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers B
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• v.36 no.9
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• pp.931-935
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• 2012

In this study, we fabricate and investigate low-temperature solid oxide fuel cells with a ceramic substrate/porous metal/ceramic/porous metal structure. To realize low-temperature operation in solid oxide fuel cells, the membrane should be fabricated to have a thickness of the order of a few hundreds nanometers to minimize IR loss. Yttrium-doped barium zirconate (BYZ), a proton conductor, was used as the electrolyte. We deposited a 350-nm-thick Pt (anode) layer on a porous substrate by sputter deposition. We also deposited a 1-${\mu}m$-thick BYZ layer on the Pt anode using pulsed laser deposition (PLD). Finally, we deposited a 200-nm-thick Pt (cathode) layer on the BYZ electrolyte by sputter deposition. The open circuit voltage (OCV) is 0.806 V, and the maximum power density is 11.9 mW/$cm^2$ at $350^{\circ}C$. Even though a fully dense electrolyte is deposited via PLD, a cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy (TEM) image reveals many voids and defects.

• Transactions of the Korean hydrogen and new energy society
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• v.23 no.6
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• pp.670-677
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• 2012

Perovskite-type oxides such as doped barium zirconate ($BaZrO_3$) show high proton conductivity and chemical stability when they are exposed to hydrogen and water vapour containing atmospheres, thus it can be applicable to the hydrogen separation and the fuel cell electrolyte membranes. However the high temperature ($1700-1800^{\circ}C$) and long sintering times (24h) are generally required to prepare the fully densified $BaZrO_3$ pellets. These sintering conditions lead to the limitation of the grain size growth and the degradation of conductivity due to the acceleration of BaO evaporation at $1200^{\circ}C$. Here we demonstrate NiO-doped $BaZr_{0.85}Y_{0.15}O_{3-{\delta}}$ with lower calcination and sintering temperature, less experimental procedure and lower process cost than the conventional mixing method. The stoichiometry of $BaZr_{0.85}Y_{0.15}O_{3-{\delta}}$ was optimized by the control of excess amount of Ba (5mol%) to minimized BaO evaporation. We found that the crystal size of NiO-doped $BaZr_{0.85}Y_{0.15}O_{3-{\delta}}$ was increased with increase of calcination temperature from XRD analysis. NiO-doped $BaZr_{0.85}Y_{0.15}O_{3-{\delta}}$ powder was calcined at $1000^{\circ}C$ for 12h when its showed the highest conductivity of $3.3{\times}10^{-2}s/cm$.

• Transactions of the Korean hydrogen and new energy society
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• v.22 no.5
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• pp.649-655
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• 2011

Methane direct cracking can be utilized to produce $CO_x$ and $NO_x$-free hydrogen for PEM fuel cells, oil refineries, ammonia and methanol production. We present the results of a systematic study of methane direct cracking using a mixed conducting oxide, Y-doped $BaZrO_3$ ($BaZr_{0.85}Y_{0.15}O_3$), membrane. In this paper, dense $BaZr_{0.85}Y_{0.15}O_3$ membrane with disk shape was successfully sintered at $1400^{\circ}C$ with a relative density of more 93% via addition of 1 wt% ZnO. The ($BaZr_{0.85}Y_{0.15}O_3$) membrane is covered with Pd as catalyst for methane decomposition with an DC magnetron sputtering method. Reaction temperature was $800^{\circ}C$ and high purity methane as reactant was employed to membrane side with 1.5 bar pressure. The $H_2$ produced by the reaction was transported through mixed conducting oxide membrane to the outer side. In addition, it was observed that the carbon, by-product, after methane direct cracking was deposited on the Pd/ZnO-$BaZr_{0.85}Y_{0.15}O_3$ membrane. The produced carbon has a shape of sphere and nanosheet, and a particle size of 80 to 100 nm.