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