• Korean Journal of Chemical Engineering
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• v.35 no.11
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• pp.2207-2219
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• 2018

Activated carbon (AC) was synthesized from Phoenix dactylifera stones and then modified by $CoFe_2O_4$ magnetic nanocomposite for use as a Cr(VI) adsorbent. Both $AC/CoFe_2O_4$ composite and AC were fully characterized by FTIR, SEM, XRD, TEM, TGA, and VSM techniques. Based on the surface analyses, the addition of $CoFe_2O_4$ nanoparticles had a significant effect on the thermal stability and crystalline structure of AC. Factors affecting chromium removal efficiency like pH, dosage, contact time, temperature, and initial Cr(VI) concentration were investigated. The best pH was found 2 and 3 for Cr adsorption by AC and $AC/CoFe_2O_4$ composite, respectively. The presence of ion sulfate had a greater effect on the chromium sorption efficiency than nitrate and chlorine ions. The results illustrated that both adsorbents can be used up to seven times to adsorb chromium. The adsorption process was examined by three isothermal models, and Freundlich was chosen as the best one. The experimental data were well fitted by pseudo-second-order kinetic model. The half-life ($t_{1/2}$) of hexavalent chromium using AC and $AC/CoFe_2O_4$ magnetic composite was obtained as 5.18 min and 1.52 min, respectively. Cr(VI) adsorption by AC and $AC/CoFe_2O_4$ magnetic composite was spontaneous and exothermic. In general, our study showed that the composition of $CoFe_2O_4$ magnetic nanoparticles with AC can increase the adsorption capacity of AC from 36 mg/L to 70 mg/L.

• Journal of the Korean Ceramic Society
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• v.44 no.12
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• pp.740-746
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• 2007

The potential candidates for IT-SOFCs cathode materials, $Ba_{0.5}Sr_{0.5}Co_{0.8}Fe_{0.2}O_{3-{\delta}}$ (BSCF) and $La_{0.6}Ba_{0.4}Co_{0.2}Fe_{0.8}O_{3-{\delta}}$ (LBCF) powders, were synthesized by a EDTA-citrate combined method from $Sr(NO_3)_2$, $Ba(NO_3)_2$, $La(NO_3)_3{\cdot}6H_2O$, $Co(NO_3)_2{\cdot}6H_2O$, $Fe(NO_3)_3{\cdot}9H_2O$, citric acid and $EDTA-NH_3$. The cathode performance of symmetrical electrochemical cells consisting of BSCF-GDC or LBCF-GDC composite electrodes and a GDC electrolyte was investigated using by AC impedance spectroscopy at the temperature range of 500 to $700^{\circ}C$. It was found that a single phase perovskite could be successfully synthesized when the precursor is heated at $850^{\circ}C$ for 2 h. Due to thermal expansion mismatch between BSCF and GDC, the composite cathodes with lower GDC content than 45 wt% were peeled off from the GDC electrolyte and their electrode polarization resistance was estimated to be high. The thermal expansion coefficient of BSCF-GDC composites was decreased with increasing the GDC content and the electrode peeling off did not occur in BSCF-45 and 55 wt% GDC composites. BSCF-45 wt% GDC composite electrode showed the lowest area specific resistances (ASR) of 0.15 and $0.04{\Omega}{\cdot}cm^2$ at 600 and $700^{\circ}C$, respectively. On the other hand, LBCF-GDC composite cathodes showed higher ASR than the BSCF-45 and 55 wt% GDC and their cathode performance were decreased with the GDC content.

• Journal of the Korean Ceramic Society
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• v.48 no.1
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• pp.110-115
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• 2011

$Gd_2O_3$-doped $CeO_2$ (GDC) and $La_{0.6}Sr_{0.4}Co_{0.2}Fe_{0.8}O_3$ (LSCF) composite cathode materials were prepared in order to be applied to intermediate-temperature solid oxide fuel cells. The electrochemical polarization was evaluated using ac impedance spectroscopy involving geometric restriction at the interface between an ionic electrolyte and a mixed-conducting cathode. In order to optimize the cathode composites applicable to a GDC electrolyte, the cathode composites were evaluated in terms of polarization losses with regard to a given electrolyte, i.e., GDC electrolyte. The polarization increased significantly with decreasing temperature and was critically dependent on the compositions of the composite cathodes. The optimized cathode composite was found to consist of GDC 50 wt% and LSCF 50 wt%; the corresponding normalized polarization loss was calculated to be 0.64 at $650^{\circ}C$.

• Journal of the Korean Ceramic Society
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• v.45 no.12
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• pp.766-771
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• 2008

We fabricated single cells with a cathode consisting of a $LaNi_{0.6}Fe_{0.4}O_3-Ce_{0.8}Sm_{0.2}O_{1.9}$ composite (LNF-S20DC composite) active layer and an LNF current collecting layer on a ${0.89ZrO_2}-{0.10Sc_2}{O_3}-0.01{Al_2}{O_3}$ electrolyte sheet. The cathode layers were prepared by the screen-printing method. The cathode properties of these cells were measured by the AC impedance method at $800^{\circ}C$. The cathodes with the ceria-LNF composite active layer exhibited high power performance prior to current loading. We investigated the influence of the mixture ratio of LNF and S20DC on the cathodes properties. The Sm in the ceria particles of the composite cathode was substituted with other rare-earth elements. Cathodes with Pr and Gd co-doped ceria in the active layer provided the better performance than those with Sm- or Gd-doped ceria.

• Proceedings of the Materials Research Society of Korea Conference
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• 2009.05a
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• pp.56.1-56.1
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• 2009

The intermediate operating temperature of solid oxide fuel cells (IT-SOFCs) have achieved considerable importance in the area of power fabrication. This is because to improve materials compatibility, their long-term stability and cost saving potential. However, to conserve rational cell performance at reduced-temperature regime, cathode performance should be obtained without negotiating the internal resistance and the electrode kinetics of the cell. Recently, double perovskite structure cathodes have been studied with great attention as a potential material for IT-SOFCs. In this study, double-perovskite structured cathodes of $GdBaCoCuO_{5+\delta}$, $GdBaCo_{2/3}Cu_{2/3}Fe_{2/3}O_{5+\delta}$ compositions and $(1-x)GdBaCo_2O_{5+\delta}+xCe_{0.9}Gd_{0.1}O_{1.95}$ (x = 10, 20, 30 and 40 wt.%) composites were evaluated as the cathode for intermediate temperature solid oxide fuel cells(IT-SOFCs). Electrical conductivity of the cathodes were measured by DC 4-probe method, and the thermal expansion coefficient of each sample was measured up to $900^{\circ}C$ by a dilatometer study. Area specific resistances(ASR) of the $GdBaCo_{2/3}Cu_{2/3}Fe_{2/3}O_{5+\delta}$ cathode and 70 wt.% $GdBaCo_2O5+\delta$ + 30wt.% Ce0.9Gd0.1O1.95 composite cathode on CGO electrolyte substrate were analyzed using AC 3-probe impedance study. The obtained results demonstrate that double perovskite-based compositions are promising cathode materials for IT-SOFCs.

• Journal of the Korean Ceramic Society
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• v.42 no.12 s.283
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• pp.793-799
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• 2005

A composite cathode of LSCF$(La_{0.6}Sr_{0.4}Co_{0.2}Fe_{0.8}O_3)\;and\;GDC\; (Gd_2O_3-doped\;CeO_2:Ce_{0.9}Gd_{0.1}O_{1.95_})$ was characterized in terms of an electrode response, using a point contact in an Yttria-Stabilized Zirconia (YSZ) electrolyte incorporated into AC two-point impedance spectroscopy. The point-contacted configuration amplifies the responses occurring near the YSZ/cathode interface through the aligned point contact on the planar LSCF/GDC electrode. The point contact interface increases the bulk resistance allowing the estimation of the point contact geometry and resolving the electrode-related responses. The resultant impedance spectra are analyzed through an equivalent circuit model constructed by resistors and constant phase elements. The bulk responses can be resolved from the electrode-related portions in terms of spreading resistance. The electrode-related polarizations are measured in terms of temperature and oxygen partial pressure. The modified impedance spectroscopy is discussed in terms of methodology and analytical aspects, toward resolving the electrode-polarization issues in solid oxide fuel cells.

• Journal of the Korean Electrochemical Society
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.88-93
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• 2005

Anode-supported solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) was investigated to increase the cell power density at intermediate temperature through control of the cathode structure. The anode-supported SOFC cell were fabricated by wet process, in which the electrolyte of $8mol\%\;Y_2O_3-stabilized\;ZrO_2 (YSZ)$ was coated on the surface of anode support of Ni/YSA and then the cathode was coated. The cathode has two- or three- layered structure composed of $(La_{0.85}Sr_{0.15})_{0.9}MnO_{3-x}(LSM),\;LSM/YS$ composite (LY), and $La_{0.6}Sr_{0.4}Co_{0.2}Fe_{0.8}O_3{LSCF)$ with different thickness. Their single cells with different cathode structures were characterized by measuring the cell performance and ac impedance in the temperature range of 600 to $800^{\circ}C$ in humidified hydrogen with $3\%$ water and air. The cell with $LY\;9{\mu}m/LSM\;9{\mu}m/LSCF\;17{\mu}m$ showed best performance of $590mW/cm^2$, which was attributed to low polarization resistance due to LY and to low interfacial resistance due to LSCF.

• Journal of the Korean Electrochemical Society
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.94-99
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• 2004

Anode-supported flat tubular solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) was investigated to increase the cell power density. The anode-supported flat tube was fabricated by extrusion process. The porosity and pore size of Ni/YSZ ($8mol\%$ yttria-stabilized zirconia) cermet anode were $50.6\%\;and\;0.23{\mu}m$, respectively. The Ni particles in the anode were distributed uniformly and connected well to each other particles in the cermet anode. YSZ electrolyte layer and multilayered cathode composed of $LSM(La_{0.85}Sr_{0.15})_{0.9}MnO_3)/YSZ$ composite, LSM, and $LSCF(La_{0.6}Sr_{0.4}Co_{0.2}Fe_{0.7}O_3)$ were coated onto the anode substrate by slurry dip coating, subsequently. The anode-supported flat tubular cell showed a performance of $300mW/cm^2 (0.6V,\; 500 mA/cm^2)\;at\;500^{\circ}C$. The electrochemical characteristics of the flat tubular cell were examined by ac impedance method and the humidified fuel enhanced the cell performance. Areal specific resistance of the LSM-coated SUS430 by slurry dipping process as metallic interconnect was $148m{\Omega}cm^2\;at\;750^{\circ}C$ and then decreased to $148m{\Omega}cm^2$ after 450hr. On the other hand, the LSM-coated Fecralloy by slurry dipping process showed a high area specific resistance.