• Journal of Electrochemical Science and Technology
• /
• v.12 no.2
• /
• pp.237-245
• /
• 2021

Atomic layer deposition (ALD) enhances the stability of cathode materials via surface modification. Previous studies have demonstrated that an Ni-rich cathode, such as LiNi_0.8Co_0.1Mn_0.1O₂, is a promising candidate owing to its high capacity, but is limited by poor cycle stability. In this study, to enhance the stability of the Ni-rich cathode, synthesized LiNi_0.8Co_0.1Mn_0.1O₂ was coated with Al₂O₃ using ALD. Thus, the surface-modified cathode exhibited enhanced stability by protecting the interface from Ni-O formation during the cycling process. The coated LiNi_0.8Co_0.1Mn_0.1O₂ exhibited a capacity of 176 mAh g^-1 at 1 C and retained up to 72% of the initial capacity after 100 cycles within a range of 2.8-4.3 V (vs Li/Li⁺. In contrast, pristine LiNi_0.8Co_0.1Mn_0.1O₂ presented only 58% of capacity retention after 100 cycles with an initial capacity of 173 mAh g^-1. Improved cyclability may be a result of the ALD coating, which physically protects the electrode by modifying the interface, and prevents degradation by resisting side reactions that result in capacity decay. The electrochemical impedance spectra and structural and morphological analysis performed using electron microscopy and X-ray techniques establish the surface enhancement resulting from the aforementioned strategy.

• Journal of the Korean Ceramic Society
• /
• v.48 no.1
• /
• pp.110-115
• /
• 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 Electrochemical Science and Technology
• /
• v.11 no.4
• /
• pp.411-420
• /
• 2020

Undesirable interfacial reactions between the cathode and sulfide electrolyte deteriorate the electrochemical performance of all-solid-state cells based on sulfides, presenting a major challenge. Surface modification of cathodes using stable materials has been used as a method for reducing interfacial reactions. In this work, a precursor-based surface modification method using Zr and Mo was applied to a LiNi_0.6Co_0.2Mn_0.2O₂ cathode to enhance the interfacial stability between the cathode and sulfide electrolyte. The source ions (Zr and Mo) coated on the precursor-surface diffused into the structure during the heating process, and influenced the structural parameters. This indicated that the coating ions acted as dopants. They also formed a homogenous coating layer, which are expected to be layers of Li-Zr-O or Li-Mo-O, on the surface of the cathode. The composite electrodes containing the surface-modified LiNi_0.6Co_0.2Mn_0.2O₂ powders exhibited enhanced electrochemical properties. The impedance value of the cells and the formation of undesirable reaction products on the electrodes were also decreased due to surface modification. These results indicate that the precursor-based surface modification using Zr and Mo is an effective method for suppressing side reactions at the cathode/sulfide electrolyte interface.

• Journal of Electrochemical Science and Technology
• /
• v.1 no.1
• /
• pp.50-56
• /
• 2010

$La_{0.6}Sr_{0.4}Co_{0.2}Fe_{0.8}O_{3-\delta}$ (LSCF) powders with different particle sizes, synthesized through a citrate complexation method and a gel-casting technique, are used to fabricate porous LSCF cathodes with graded microstructures via tape casting. To create porous electrodes with desired porosity and pore structures, graphite and starch are used as pore former for different layers of the graded cathode. Examination of the microstructures of the as-prepared LSCF cathode using an SEM revealed that both grain size and porosity changed gradually from the catalytically active layer (near the electrodeelectrolyte interface) to the current collection layer (near the electrode-interconnect interface). Impedance analysis showed that a 3-layer LSCF cathode with graded microstructures exhibited much-improved performance compared to that of a single-layer LSCF cathode, corresponding to interfacial resistance of 0.053, 0.11, and 0.27 $\Omega{\cdot}cm^2$ at 800, 750, and $700^{\circ}C$ respectively.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers
• /
• v.11 no.1
• /
• pp.18-25
• /
• 1998

G $d_{0.2}$C $e_{0.8}$ $O_{1.9}$(CGO) for electrolyte and L $a_{0.5}$S $r_{0.5}$Mn $O_3$(LSM50) for cathode in Solid Oxide Fuel Cells(SOFC) were synthesized by citrate process. Specimens were prepared with sintering temperatures at 110$0^{\circ}C$, 120$0^{\circ}C$ and 130$0^{\circ}C$, which were fabricated by slurry coating with citric acid contents. Interfacial resistance was measured between cathode and electrolyte using AC-impedance analyzer. With various citric acid content, the degree of agglomeration for the initial particles changed. Also sintering temperature changed the particle size and the degree of densification of cathode. Factors affecting the interfacial resistance were adherent degree of the electrolyte and cathode, distribution of TPB(three phase boundaries, TPB i.e., electrolyte/electrode/gas phase area) and porosity of cathode. By increasing the sintering temperature, particle size and densification of the cathode were increased. And then, TPB area which occurs catalytic reaction was reduced and so interfacial resistance was increased.sed.sed.d.

• Journal of the Korean Ceramic Society
• /
• v.42 no.12 s.283
• /
• pp.793-799
• /
• 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 institute of surface engineering
• /
• v.39 no.6
• /
• pp.302-311
• /
• 2006

Nowadays the open-type lead-acid battery for vehicle use is being replaced with the sealed-type because it needs no maintenance and has a longer cycle life. Thus researches on this battery are being conducted very actively by many advanced battery companies. There is, however, a serious problem with the maintenance free(MF) battery that its cathode electrode has a limited cycle life due to a corrosion of grid. In this study, it was aimed to improve a corrosion resistance of the cathode grid which is commonly made of Pb-Ca alloy for a mechanical strength. For this purpose, various amounts of alloying elements such as Sn, Ag and Ba were added singly or together to the Pb-Ca alloys and investigated their corrosion behaviors. Batteries fabricated by using these alloys as cathode grids were subjected to life cycle test and their corrosion layers appeared at the interface between the grids and the active materials were carefully observed in order to clarify effects of alloying elements.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers
• /
• v.13 no.5
• /
• pp.376-382
• /
• 2000

We successfully fabricated OLED(Organic Light Emitting Diodes) with Al cathodes electrode deposited by the DC magnetron sputtering. The effects of a controlled Al cathode layer of an Indium Tin Oxide (ITO)/blended single polymer layer (PVK Bu:PBD:dye)/Al light emitting diodes are described. The PVK (Poly(N-vinylcarbazole)) and Bu-PBD (2-(4-biphenyl-phenyl)-1,3,4-oxadiazole) are used hole transport polymer and electron transport molecule respectively. We found that both current injection and electroluminescence output are significantly different with a variable DC sputtering power. The difference is believed to be due to the influence near the blended polymer layer/cathode interface that results from the DC power and H$\sub$2//O in a chamber. And DC sputtering deposition is an effective way to fabricate Al electrodes with pronounced orientational characteristics without damage occurring to metal-organic interface during the sputtering deposition.

• Journal of the Korean Ceramic Society
• /
• v.55 no.4
• /
• pp.358-363
• /
• 2018

To improve the polarization property of cathodes, which is the main factor limiting the performance of protonic ceramic fuel cells (PCFCs), $K_2NiF_4-type$ $Pr_2NiO_{4+{\delta}}$, which is expected to exhibit a triple conducting property (proton, oxygen ion, and hole conductions) was applied to PCFCs and its properties were investigated. Low-temperature microwave heat-treatment was used to achieve both sufficient interface adhesion between the electrolyte and the cathode layers and suppression of the secondary phase formation due to migration of elements such as barium and cerium. Through this fabrication method, a high performance of $0.82W{\cdot}cm^{-2}$ and low ohmic resistance of $0.06{\Omega}{\cdot}cm^2$ were obtained in an $Ni-BaCe_{0.55}Zr_{0.3}Y_{0.15}O_{3-{\delta}}$ | $BaCe_{0.55}Zr_{0.3}Y_{0.15}O_{3-{\delta}}$ | $Pr_2NiO_{4+{\delta}}$ single cell at $650^{\circ}C$. This result verifies that the $K_2NiF_{4+{\delta}}-type$ cathode shows good chemical compatibility which, in turn, will make it a potent candidate as a PCFC cathode.

• Journal of Electrochemical Science and Technology
• /
• v.13 no.3
• /
• pp.362-368
• /
• 2022

The application of polymer composite electrolyte in all-solid-state lithium-sulfur battery (ASSLSBs) can guarantee high energy density and improve the interface contact between electrolyte and electrode, which has a broader application prospect. However, the inherent insulation of the sulfur-cathode leads to a low electron/ion transfer rate. Carbon materials with high electronic conductivity and electrolyte materials with high ionic conductivity are usually selected to improve the electron/ion conduction of the composite cathode. In this work, PEO-LiTFSI-LLZO composite polymer electrolyte (CPE) with high ionic conductivity was prepared. The ionic conductivity was 1.16×10^-4 and 7.26×10^-4 S cm^-1 at 20 and 60℃, respectively. Meanwhile, the composite sulfur cathode was prepared with Sulfur, reduced graphene oxide and composite polymer electrolyte slurry (S-rGO-CPEs). In addition to improving the ion conductivity in the cathode, CPEs also replaces the role of binder. The influence of different contents of CPEs in the cathode material on the performance of the constructed battery was investigated. The results show that the electrochemical performance of the all-solid-state lithium-sulfur battery is the best when the content of the composite electrolyte in the cathode is 40%. Under the condition of 0.2C and 45℃, the charging and discharging capacity of the first cycle is 923 mAh g^-1, and the retention capacity is 653 mAh g^-1 after 50 cycles.