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Materials Science > Alternative Energy Materials > Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Applications
Alternative Energy Materials

Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Applications

A fuel cell is a battery-like system that uses hydrogen and oxygen to generate electricity by an electrochemical reaction. Similar to other batteries, the fuel cell consists of two electrodes (anode and cathode) and an electrolyte (Figure 1).

Solid Oxide Fuel Cells (SOFC)

Figure 1. Solid Oxide Fuel Cells (SOFC)

In Solid Oxide Fuel Cells (SOFCs), the cathode and the anode are made from porous ceramic materials and the electrolyte consists of a dense oxygen ion conducting ceramics. This allows SOFCs to operate at high temperatures, around 1,000°C (1,830°F), and to reform hydrocarbons internally, thus enabling the use of natural gas or reformed diesel as fuel.1

The high-temperature operation places rigorous durability requirements on cell components. Therefore, development of low-cost materials with high durability at high temperatures is the key technical challenge for SOFC technology.2

Aldrich Materials Science offers a variety of materials that can be used for the preparation of cathodes, anodes, and electrolytes for SOFC applications (Table 1). Our product portfolio includes a variety of Yttria Stabilized Zirconia (YSZ), Lanthanum Strontium Manganite (LSM) and Gadolinium doped Ceria (GDC), and other ceramic materials specifically designed for SOFC applications.

Table 1. Aldrich Materials for SOFC applications

 

Material Name Composition Prod. No.
Cathode materials
Lanthanum strontium cobalt ferrite composite cathode powder, LSCF/GDC (Ce0.9Gd0.1)O1.95
(La0.60Sr0.40)(Co0.20Fe0.80)O3
50%
50%
704253
Lanthanum strontium manganite composite cathode powder, LSM-20/YSZ, 99+ % (Y2O3)0.08(ZrO2)0.92
(La0.80Sr0.20)MnO3       
50%
50%
704245
Lanthanum strontium manganite LSM-20,
99+ %
(Ce0.9Gd0.1)O1.95
(La0.80Sr0.20)MnO3
50%
50%
704296
Lanthanum strontium manganite composite cathode powder, LSM20-GDC10 (Ce0.9Gd0.1)O1.95
(La0.80Sr0.20)MnO3
50%
50%
704237
Anode materials
Nickel oxide - Cerium samarium oxide for coatings, NiO/SDC, 99+ % trace metals basis NiO
CeO2Sm2O3
60 wt. %
40 wt. %
704210
Nickel oxide - Yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) for coatings, NiO/YSZ NiO
Y2O3ZrO2
66 wt. %
34 wt. %
704202
Electrolytes
Cerium(IV) oxide-gadolinium doped (GDC) nanopowder CeO2
Gd 20 mol % as dopant
572357
Cerium(IV) oxide-samaria doped  nanopowder CeO2
SmO2 15 mol % as dopant
572365
Cerium(IV) oxide-yttria doped (YSZ) nanopowder CeO2
Y2O3 15 mol % as dopant
572381
Zirconium(IV) oxide-yttria stabilized (YSZ) nanopowder ZrO2
Y2O3 3 mol % as stabilizer
572322
Zirconium(IV) oxide-yttria stabilized (YSZ) nanopowder ZrO2
Y2O3 8 mol % as stabilizer 
572349
Zirconium(IV) oxide-yttria stabilized (YSZ) submicron powder, 99.9% trace metals basis (purity excludes ~2% HfO2) ZrO2
Y2O3 8 mol % as stabilizer
464228
Zirconium(IV) oxide-yttria stabilized (YSZ) submicron powder, 99.5% trace metals basis (purity excludes ~2% HfO2) ZrO2
Y2O3 5.3 mol % as stabilizer
464201

For a complete list of our fuel cell materials and related products, please visit sigma-aldrich.com/energy.


References

  1. High Temperature and Solid Oxide Fuel Cells. Fundamentals, Design and Applications; Singhal, S.C., Kendal, K. Eds.; Elsevier: Amsterdam, The Netherlands, 2003.
  2. U.S. Department of Energy. Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy. The Hydrogen, Fuel Cells & Infrastructure Technologies Program.