Tuning the Catalyst Materials in Anode to Improve the Electrochemical Properties of Low Temperature Solid Oxide Fuel Cell

Abstract

n present study zinc-based anode materials with composition Ba0.10Cu0.20M0.10Zn0.60 oxide (where M represent Mn, Mo, and Ag) were synthesized via cost effective sol-gel technique. The effect of suggested M components was observed to understand the electronic conduction mechanism with the diffusion of the hydrogen ion. In this work, materials synthesized by sol-gel technique and their functionalities are investigated as an anodic function of solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC). Their investigations consist of various characterizations such as Fourier Transformation Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), Raman Spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy. FTIR technique is employed to analyse the chemical composition and its bounding. The Ba0.1Cu0.2Ag0.1Zn0.6O show that the peaks at 667 cm-1 738 cm 1 , 1121 cm-1 , 1331 cm-1 , 1664 cm-1 , and 3238 cm-1 belong to Zn-O vibrational energy bond, the vibrational bond of C-O (symmetric) of ZnO, Zn-O stretching bonds and O-H hydroxyl group, respectively. The Ba0.1Cu0.2Mo0.1Zn0.6O show that the peaks at 675 cm-1 762 and 1339 cm-1 , 1042 cm-1 , 1121 cm-1 , and 3010 cm-1 are associated with the O-H bond, C-O bond, and C-H group, respectively. The Ba0.1Cu0.2Mn0.1Zn0.6O show that the peaks at 667 cm-1 754 cm-1 , 875 cm-1 , 1323 cm-1 , 1113 cm-1 , and 3644 cm-1 belong to Mn-O stretching bond, Zn-O vibrational energy, Zn-O bond, Zn-N bound bond, and O-H hydroxyl group, respectively. Raman spectroscopy is used to detect vibrational, rotational, and other states in a molecular system, capable of probing the chemical composition of materials. The Ba0.1Cu0.2Ag0.1Zn0.6O Raman pattern that the peak at 431 cm-1 belong to E2 High -E2 LOW mode of Zn-O, at 135 cm-1 peak associate to E2 High mode of Cu-O, and at 577 cm-1 relate to Cu-O, at 1144.54 cm-1 and peaks 1071 cm-1 related to AgO, and 1144 cm-1 linked to multi-phonon scattering process. The The Ba0.1Cu0.2Mo0.1Zn0.6O Raman pattern that the peaks observed at 135 cm- 1 , 325.76 cm-1 for Cu-O and MoO, 577.18 cm-1 belongs to Cu-O, Zn-O at 435.3 cm-1 and 792.4, 837.4,8.889 and 1149 cm-1 relate to Mo-O bond. While, at 1149 cm-1 peak associate to the glass substrate. The Ba0.1Cu0.2Mn0.1Zn0.6O Raman pattern that the peaks at 337 cm 1 , 432 cm-1 belong to Zn-O mode of E2 high -E2 low, and E2 high , respectively. A peak at 659 cm- x 1 belongs to the Mn-O group. While, at 964 cm-1 peak associate to the glass substrate, but at 1164 cm-1 is C-H group. X-ray diffraction used to calculate the crystal phase, cell parameter, volume, and density of a material. The Ba0.1Cu0.2Ag0.1Zn0.6O XRD pattern describes that oxide materials have composite nature consist of three-phase structures, where the phase of Zn-oxide (hexagonal structure, JCPDF 01-079-2205) may be in-cooperated with the phase of BaAg6O4 (orthorhombic structure, JCPDF 01-71-0749) and Cu-oxide (monoclinic structure, JCPDF 00-048-1548). The average crystallites sizes were found to be 85.2 nm, 96 nm, and 63.67 nm, respectively. The XRD pattern of Ba0.1Cu0.2Mo0.1Zn0.6O describes that oxide materials have composite nature consist of three-phase structures, the Cu-oxide (monoclinic structure, JCPDF 00-048-1548), BaMoO4 phase (tetragonal structure, JCPDF 00-008-0455), and Zn-oxide (hexagonal structure, JCPDF 01-079- 2205). The average crystallites sizes were found to be 78.45 nm, 65.63 nm, and 85.46 nm, respectively. The XRD pattern of Ba0.1Cu0.2Mo0.1Zn0.6O revealed that oxide materials have a three-phase structure, Zn-oxide (hexagonal structure, JCPDF 01-079-2205) is maybe in-cooperated with the phase of BaMn8O16 (tetragonal, JCPDF 00-029-0188) and Cu-oxide (monoclinic structure, JCPDF 00-048-1548). The average crystallites sizes were found to be 71 nm, 64 nm, and 57.6 nm, respectively. The Electrochemical properties were investigated by AC Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS) technique by 4-probe method under air and hydrogen atmosphere. The materials show the increasing behavior, with enhancing the temperature, which describes the nature of semiconductors and performance work of SOFC is under process.