Malaysian Journal of Analytical Sciences Vol 26 No 4 (2022): 838 - 844

 

 

 

 

STRUCTURAL AND ELECTROCHEMICAL CHARACTERISATIONS OF LANTHANUM-BASED COBALT FERRITE AND BARIUM CERATE-ZIRCONATE OXIDES AS COMPOSITE CATHODE FOR PROTON CERAMIC FUEL CELL 

 

(Pencirian Struktur dan Elektrokimia Lantanum Berasaskan Kobalt Ferum Oksida dan Barium Serat-Zirkonat Oksida Sebagai Komposit Katod untuk Aplikasi Sel Fuel Seramik Proton)

 

Nurul Izzati Abd Malek¹, Ismariza Ismail², Abdul Mutalib Md Jani³, Mohd Hafiz Dzarfan Othman⁴, Nafisah Osman^1,5*

 

¹Proton Conducting Fuel Cell Research Group, Faculty of Applied Sciences,

Universiti Teknologi MARA, 40450 Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia

²Faculty of Engineering Technology,

Universiti Malaysia Perlis, 02100 Padang Besar, Perlis, Malaysia

³Faculty of Applied Sciences,

Universiti Teknologi MARA, 35400 Tapah Road, Tapah, Perak, Malaysia

⁴Advanced Membrane Technology Research Centre (AMTEC), School of Chemical & Energy Engineering, Faculty of Engineering,

Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, 81310 UTM Skudai, Johor, Malaysia

⁵Faculty of Applied Sciences,

Universiti Teknologi MARA Perlis, 02600 Arau, Perlis, Malaysia

 

^*Corresponding author:  fisha@uitm.edu.my

 

 

Received: 12 September 2021; Accepted: 12 July 2022; Published: 25 August 2022

 

 

Abstract

This study investigated the composite cathode ofLaSrCoFeO₃-BaCeZrYO₃ (LSCF-BCZY) in a ratio of 7 : 3. A 13-mm symmetrical half-cell was fabricated using the dry pressing and spin-coating techniques to yield the configuration of  LSCF-BCZY|BCZY|LSCF-BCZY. The phase of the sample was verified using the X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) spectroscopy. The electrochemical and microstructure of the half-cell were characterized using the Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), respectively. The XRD analysis showed that the single-phase  structure of LSCF and BCZY was still preserved at the calcination temperature of 900 ^oC. The half-cell demonstrated a thermally activated trend in a humidified atmosphere with area-specific resistance values of 0.25, 0.33, 1.02, 1.64, and 5.75 Ω.cm² at temperatures of 800, 750, 700, 650, and 600 ^oC, respectively. The SEM image revealed that the 10-μm LSCF-BCZY layer was well-adhered on the dense BCZY electrolyte surface. This synthesised LSCF-BCZY in the ratio of 7 : 3 demonstrated excellent characteristics as a composite cathode for PCFCs.

Keywords:  composite cathode, single phase, spin coating, proton ceramic fuel cells

 

Abstrak

Dalam kajian ini, komposit katod daripada LaSrCoFeO₃-BaCeZrYO₃ (LSCF-BCZY) dengan nisbah 7 : 3 dipilih disebabkan kelebihanya berbanding dengan LSCF tulen. Teknik penekanan kering dan saduran berpusing telah digunakan untuk menghasilkan 13-mm sel separa simetri dengan konfigurasi iaitu LSCF-BCZY|BCZY|LSCF-BCZY. Pembentukan fasa sampel telah disahkan oleh pembelauan sinar-X (XRD). Sifat elektrokimia dan struktur mikro daripada sel separa simetri masing-masing telah diciri menggunakan spektroskopi impedans elektrokimia (EIS) dan pengimbasan mikroskop elektron (SEM). Pada suhu kalsinan 900 ^oC, komponen LSCF dan BCZY tidak menunjukkan sebarang perubahan dan berfasa tunggal seperti dibuktikan melalui analisis XRD. Sel ini menunjukkan kecenderungan aktif secara terma, yang disahkan melalui pengukuran EIS dalam atmosfera lembap dengan kawasan rintangan khusus (ASR) masing-masing iaitu 0.25, 0.33, 1.02 , 1.64, dan 5.75 Ω.cm² pada suhu 800, 750, 700, 650 dan 600 ^oC. Gambar SEM menunjukkan bahawa lapisan 10 μm LSCF-BCZY melekat dengan baik pada permukaan elektrolit padat BCZY. Maka, penghasilan LSCF-BCZY dengan nisbah 7 : 3 menunjukkan ciri-ciri yang terbaik sebagai katod komposit bagi aplikasi PCFC.

Kata kunci:  katod komposit, fasa tunggal, saduran berpusing, sistem sel fuel seramik proton

 

Graphical Abstract

 

 

 

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