Nanocrystalline Yb-doped scandia-stabilized zirconia (6Yb4ScSZ) powders are prepared using co-precipitation process. The effects of calcination treatments on factors such as phase evolution, crystallite size, and specific surface area are investigated. The synthesized electrolyte powders have a high specific area of 25 m 2 g ¹1 , nanocrystalline size of 17 nm and ionic conductivity of 0.7 S cm ¹1 at 800°C with a cubic structure. Solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) with anode-supported electrolyte, in which the electrolyte layer consists of nanocrystalline 6Yb4ScSZ powders calcined at 850°C, is fabricated by tape casting and co-sintering. The opencircuit voltage of the SOFC single cell is approximately 1.07 V at 800°C, indicating negligible leakage of fuel through the electrolyte layer. As a result, power density of 1.30 W cm ¹2 is obtained at 2.0 A cm ¹2 and 800°C due to the drastic reduction of ohmic resistance in the SOFC cell.

The present study investigates the strain-rate-dependent mechanical performances of three different kinds of polymers in low-temperature applications, including plastic piping systems. Recently, lightweight constructions have been increasingly used in ship and offshore structures because using low-density materials reduces the structural weight of products. However, most of the existing research outcomes have not focused on low-temperature applications. In the present study, the mechanical and failure characteristics of acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), polyethylene (PE), and polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF), which are the most widely used in ship and offshore industries, were tested under low-temperature conditions. The quasistatic tensile stress–strain responses of the polymers were observed at rates of 10−2, 10−3, and 10−4 s−1. As the temperature decreased, the tensile strength and Young’s modulus of tested polymers increased. The fracture strain and modulus of toughness of ABS were considerably lower than those of PE and PVDF at room and low temperatures. When compared with mechanical properties, PVDF displayed superior capability, and each polymer showed different fracture surface characteristics, such as ductility and brittleness. The quantitative material properties tested at various temperatures and strain-rates can be used as material information for the finite element (FE) analysis and material parameters for the development of advanced constitutive models.