Graphene‐based Oxygen Reduction Electrodes for Low Temperature Solid Oxide Fuel Cells

Abstract

In this report, we present a study of using nitrogen‐doped graphene as the air electrode of low temperature solid oxide fuel cells (LT‐SOFCs) operating at 350 °C or lower. Three graphene derivatives were prepared through hydrothermal reactions and their electrochemical performance and material properties were characterized in the temperature range of 225–350 °C in atmospheric air. Nitrogen‐doped graphene was found to exhibit a decent air electrode performance comparable to a porous Pt electrode aged for 8 h at 350 °C, but only for a limited time. After ∼10 h of operation at 350 °C, the electrode performance degraded significantly due to carbon oxidation. However, alternative routes of synthesizing/doping graphene derivatives are expected to improve the viability of using these materials as a practical high temperature air electrode.

Structural and electrical study of nanocomposite Fe 0. 2 Ni0 0 . 3 Cu 0 .5 anode with effect of graphene oxide ( GO ) for low‐temperature SOFCs

“…Recent years, YSZ/rGo composite found to good alternatives materials as an application for electrochemical activity by providing more conduction pathways in temperature range 150°C to 800°C 41 . Graphene based electrodes (Nitrogen doped graphene) exhibited enhanced catalytic performance to oxygen reaction for low‐temperature SOFCs 42 …”

“…40 Recent years, YSZ/rGo composite found to good alternatives materials as an application for electrochemical activity by providing more conduction pathways in temperature range 150 C to 800 C. 41 Graphene based electrodes (Nitrogen doped graphene) exhibited enhanced catalytic performance to oxygen reaction for low-temperature SOFCs. 42 The current work is devoted to prepare composite materials Fe 0.2 Ni0 0.3 Cu 0.5 and graphene-incorporated Fe 0.2 Ni0 0.3 Cu 0.5 -GO by solid state reaction route. The prepared materials will be studied as anode by investigating the conductivity and performance for lowtemperature SOFC applications.…”

Graphene incorporated mesoporous perovskite with excellent conductivity and catalytic activity for low temperature solid oxide fuel cells

“…nitrogen (N)-doped graphene, show tremendous catalytic performance for the oxygen reaction at 350 °C close to that of platinum (Pt)-based electrodes for a solid oxide fuel cell. 33 Another study was based on a platinum–yttrium stabilized zirconia–graphene (G) composite-based anode material. However, the material was not thermally stable and therefore damaged the composition of the electrode.…”

Opportunities, Challenges and Prospects for Electrodeposition of Thin-Film Functional Layers in Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Technology

“…Enhancement of the cells’ efficiency using electrodeposition can be achieved by increasing the electrochemical activity of the electrodes through the deposition of catalytically active nanoparticles, reducing the cell ohmic resistance by the formation of a thin-film electrolyte membrane, blocking the leakage current or chemical interaction between functional layers by the deposition of thin buffer layers and by creating protective coatings on the interconnections [ 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 ]. The transition to the use of nanoscale heterostructure materials including two-dimensional materials such as graphene and its nanocomposites, metal–organic frameworks and metal oxide nanosheets, is a topical modern direction for increasing the efficiency of fuel cells operating in the low-temperature range (400–650 °C) [ 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 , 11 ]. Along with pulsed laser deposition and molecular beam epitaxy, allowing deposition of nanostructures without high temperature treatment, electrodeposition of nanocomposites—including those with graphene—are widely represented in technology for low temperature fuel cells as well as lithium-ion batteries, microbial fuel cells and supercapacitors [ 12 , 13 , 14 ].…”