• Journal of the Korean Ceramic Society
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• v.52 no.5
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• pp.299-303
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• 2015

The electrolyte is an important component in determining the performance of Fuel Cells. Especially, investigation of the conduction properties of electrolytes plays a key role in determining the performance of the electrolyte. The electrochemical properties of Yttrium stabilized zirconia (YSZ) were measured to allow the use of this material as an electrolyte for solid oxide fuel cells (SOFC) in the temperature range of $700-1000^{\circ}C$ and in $0.21{\leq}pO_2/atm{\leq}10^{-23}$. A Hebb-Wagner polarization experimental cell was optimally manufactured; here we discuss typical problems associated with making cells. The partial conductivities due to electrons and holes for 8YSZ, which is known as a superior oxygen conductor, were obtained using I-V characteristics based on the Hebb-Wagner polarization method. Activation energies for holes and electrons are $3.99{\pm}0.17eV$ and $1.70{\pm}0.06eV$ respectively. Further, we calculated the oxygen ion conductivity with electron, hole, and total conductivity, which was obtained by DC four probe conductivity measurements. The oxygen ion conductivity was dependent on the temperature; the activation energy was $0.80{\pm}0.10eV$. The electrolyte domain was determined from the top limit, bottom limit, and boundary (p=n) of the oxygen partial pressure. As a result, the electrolyte domain was widely presented in an extensive range of oxygen partial pressures and temperatures.

• Journal of the Microelectronics and Packaging Society
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.31-35
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• 2016

This paper demonstrates the successful application of yttria-stabilized zirconia thin films deposited by atomic layer deposition to the anode-side interlayer for cerium oxide electrolyte based solid oxide fuel cell. At the operating temperature over $500^{\circ}C$, the electrical conductivity of cerium oxide electrolyte is known to dramatically increase and, therefore, the open circuit voltage of the cell decreases leading to the decrease of the performance. Ultra-thin (60 nm) atomic layer deposited yttria-stabilized zirconia thin film in this study conformally coated the anode-side surface of the cerium oxide electrolyte and efficiently blocked the electrical conduction through the electrolyte. Accordingly, the open circuit voltage increased by up to 20%, and the maximum power density increased by 52% at $500^{\circ}C$

• Korean Journal of Metals and Materials
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• v.50 no.9
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• pp.685-690
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• 2012

Decalcomania is a new method for SOFCs (solid oxide fuel cells) unit cell fabrication. A tight and dense $5{\mu}m$ Yttria-stabilized zirconia (8YSZ) electrolyte layer on anode substrate was fabricated by the decalcomania method. After 8YSZ as the electrolyte starting material was calcined at $1200^{\circ}C$, the particle size was controlled by the attrition mill. The median particle size (D50) of each 8YSZ was $39.6{\mu}m$, $9.30{\mu}m$, $6.35{\mu}m$, and $3.16{\mu}m$, respectively. The anode substrate was coated with decalcomania papers which were made by using 8YSZ with different median particle sizes. In order to investigate the effect of median particle sizes and sintering conditions on the electrolyte density, each sample was sintered for 2, 5 and 10 h, respectively. 8YSZ with a median particle size of $3.16{\mu}m$ which was sintered at $1400^{\circ}C$ for 10 had the highest density. With this 8YSZ, a SOFCs unit cell was manufactured with a $5{\mu}m$ layer by the decalcomania method. Then the unit cell was run at $800^{\circ}C$. The Open Circuit Voltage (OCV) and Maximum power density (MPD) was 1.12 V and $650mW/cm^2$, respectively.

• Transactions of the Korean hydrogen and new energy society
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.319-325
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• 2011

The electrical properties of sputtered GDC thin films on $Al_2O_3$ substrates was studied. The electrical properties of the films were measured to evaluate the ion conductivity of GDC thin films for co-planar SOFC electrolytes. The impedance of the GDC thin films on $Al_2O_3$ substrates was affected by the film thickness and the impedance of thin film exhibited higher value than thick films. Similarly, the conductivity of the thick film showed much higher value than thin films. It indicated that the film thickness is the main factor affecting the conductivity and impedance of the GDC electrolyte for the co-planar SOFC.

• 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.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers B
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• v.27 no.7
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• pp.963-972
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• 2003

Performance characteristics of the planar-type solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) are investigated by the analysis of flow fields coupled with heat and mass transfer phenomena in anode and cathode channels. For these purposes, performance analysis of the SOFC is conducted based on electrochemical reaction phenomena in electrodes and electrolyte coupled with flow fields in anode and cathode channels. In the present study, the isothermal model adopted in the previous paper prepared by the same authors is extended to the non-isothermal model by solving energy equation additionally with momentum and mass transfer equations using CFD technique. It is found that the difference between isothermal and non-isothermal models come from non-uniform temperature distribution along anode and cathode electrodes by solving energy equation in non-isothermal model. Non-uniform temperature distribution in non-isothermal model contributes to the increase of average temperature of the fuel cell and influences its performance characteristics.

• Journal of the Korean Ceramic Society
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• v.42 no.12 s.283
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• pp.816-820
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• 2005

The doped-ceria is a strong candidate material for an intermediate temperature SOFC. However, the mechanical strength and the magnitude of electrical conductivity need to be increased at low sintering temperature. In this study, to improve both properties, $1at\% $ of Mg, Ca, Cr, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Ga, and Zr were added to the GDC20 ($20at\%$ Gd-doped Ceria) and sintered at $1350^{\circ}C$ that is $250^{\circ}C$ lower than $1600^{\circ}C$. With addition, the relative density of the sintered sample increased. Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Ga doped-GDC20 showed high relative density over $92\%$. Among them, Ga doped-GDC20 showed the most improved sinterability. The conductivity of doped­GDC20 increased by $\~10$ times at $300\~700^{\circ}C$.

• Journal of the Korean Ceramic Society
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• v.51 no.4
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• pp.278-282
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• 2014

Due to high ionic conductivity and favorable oxygen electrocatalysis, doped $Bi_2O_3$ systems are promising candidates as solid oxide fuel cell cathode materials. Recently, several researchers reported reasonably low cathode polarization resistance by adding electronically conducting materials such as (La,Sr)$MnO_3$ (LSM) or Ag to doped $Bi_2O_3$ compositions. Despite extensive research efforts toward maximizing cathode performance, however, the inherent catalytic activity and electrochemical reaction pathways of these promising materials remain largely unknown. Here, we prepare a symmetrical structure with identically sized $Y_{0.5}Bi_{1.5}O_3$/LSM composite electrodes on both sides of a YSZ electrolyte substrate. AC impedance spectroscopy (ACIS) measurements of electrochemical cells with varied cathode compositions reveal the important role of bismuth oxide phase for oxygen electrocatalysis. These observations aid in directing future research into the reaction pathways and the site-specific electrocatalytic activity as well as giving improved guidance for optimizing SOFC cathode structures with doped $Bi_2O_3$ compositions.

• Journal of the Korean Electrochemical Society
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.106-114
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• 2005

This article covers the theoretical ac-impedance models for the analysis of oxygen reduction on the porous cathode electrode f3r solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC). Firstly, ac-impedance models were explained on the basis of the mechanism of oxygen reduction, which were classified into the rate-determining steps; (i) adsorption of oxygen atom on the electrode surface, (ii) diffusion of adsorbed oxygen atom along the electrode surface towards the three-phase (electrode/electrolyte/gas) boundaries, (iii) surface diffusion of adsorbed oxygen atom m ixed with the adsorption reaction of oxygen atom on the electrode surface and (iv) diffusion of oxygen vacancy through the electrode coupled with the charge transfer reaction at the electrode/gas interface. In each section for ac-impedance model, the representative impedance plots and the interpretation of important parameters attributed to the oxygen reduction reaction were explained. Finally, we discussed in detail the applications of the proposed theoretical ac-impedance models to the real electrode of SOFC system.

• Journal of Advanced Marine Engineering and Technology
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.414-420
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• 2011

Thermal stress analysis of a planar anode-supported SOFC considering electrochemical reactions has been performed under operating conditions where average current density varies from 0 to 2000 $A/m^2$. For the case of the 2000 $A/m^2$ operating condition, Structural stress analysis based on the temperature distributions obtained from the CFD analysis of the unit cell has also been done. From this one way Fluid-Structure Interaction(FSI) analysis, Maximum Von-Mises stress under negligible temperature gradient fields occurs when cell components are perfectly bonded. The maximum stress of the electrolyte, cathode and anode in a unit cell SOFC is 262.58MPa, 28.55MPa and 15.1MPa respectively. The maximum thermal stress is critically dependent on static friction coefficient.