Publication date: 10th April 2024
The excessive use of fossil fuels causes global warming, prompting increased focus on eco-friendly energy sources. Among these alternatives, renewable energy sources such as solar and wind power face limitations, as they cannot continuously generate electricity depending on weather conditions. Hence, there is a need for energy conversion technologies capable of storing surplus energy to ensure a stable electricity supply. One promising solution is the reversible fuel cells (RFCs), utilizing electrochemical processes to generate electricity and produce hydrogen within a single device through a reversible reaction [1]. Particularly, reversible protonic ceramic cells (RPCCs) are gaining attention among RFCs, because RPCCs exhibit high power density and efficiency for hydrogen generation, allowing operation at lower and intermediate temperatures. However, due to the lower operating temperature of RPCCs, the kinetics of the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER) are sluggish. Additionally, since RPCCs generate water in the air-electrode, the air-electrode material must exhibit high phase stability in a humidified atmosphere, and fast triple conductivity of oxygen ions, electrons, and protons is required [2].
Recently, numerous studies have focused on enhancing the air-electrode characteristics of RPCCs by doping alkali metals (Li+, Na+, and K+) with alkaline-earth metals having a +2 oxidation state. Doping alkali metals generates oxygen vacancies or electron holes in the structure to maintain the material's electrical neutrality. These formed oxygen vacancies and electron holes significantly enhance the ORR/OER catalytic activity by increasing the conductivity of oxygen ions, protons, and electrons. Moreover, alkali metals, due to their high basicity, substantially contribute to improving the proton conductivity of the air-electrode material through their high reactivity with oxygen and water in the air [3]. This study analyzes the electrochemical properties of air-electrode materials doped with alkali metals. By applying these materials to RPCCs, a significant increase in performance is confirmed compared to conventional perovskite materials.
This research was supported by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy (MOTIE), South Korea and Korea Institute for Advancement of Technology (KIAT), South Korea through the International Cooperative R&D program (P0021202), and Core Technology Development Program to Future Hydrogen Energy and Basic Science Research Program through the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF-2021M313A1084830), This work was also supported by HRD Program for Industrial Innovation (P0023521) funded by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, Korea.
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