The Mechanical Strength Effects in terms of Conductivity and Fuel Cell Performance for low Temperature Solid Oxide Fuel Cell (LTSOFC)

Abstract

Energy is one of the essential factors for human progress and is the bedrock of present-day improvement, however there is an extraordinary setback in the supply of energy assets everywhere throughout the world because of increment sought after of energy. There are two fundamental energy assets that are utilizing to satisfy our energy necessity. These are, Non-sustainable energy source assets are limited and environmentally poison then again sustainable energy source assets are unlimited and friendly for environment. The overarching energy crises on the planet must be handled by utilizing reasonable energy sources. Fuel cell is one of the sustainable energy source assets which could be the elective energy source with no natural issue. This theory gives a methodology how to grow new nanocomposite electrolyte and cathode materials for low temperature strong oxide energy component (LTSOFC) based on nanocomposite way to deal with lower the working temperature of SOFC. Nano composite electrolyte ‘samarium doped Ceria (SDC)’ has been synthesized for LTSOFC by using co-precipitation method with precipitating agent of (sodium carbonates). Li, Ni, Cu carbonates are mixed with zinc nitrate by using solid state reaction method for solid oxide fuel cell electrodes. The structure and morphology of the synthesized nanocomposite electrolyte and electrode was examined by X-Ray diffraction (XRD). The Fuel Cell Performance was tested at temperature (300-650 °C). The Ionic Conductivity of the sintered nanocomposite was measured by four probe DC method. XRD patterns of the samples reveal that synthesized materials are nanostructured. The SDC has single phase material of cubic structure while the LNCZ material has two phase material, first phase is zinc oxide (ZO) of hexagonal structure and second is nickel oxide (NiO) of cubic structure. The ionic conductivity of 0.13S/cm at 650°C for 𝐶𝑒0.8𝑆𝑚0.2 and 1.65 S/cm at 650°C for (𝐿𝑖0.18𝐶𝑢0.18𝑁𝑖0.32𝑍𝑛0.32) has been achieved. The fuel cell performance was checked at the temperature of 400 °C to 650 °C with three layers of cell in which smarium based nanocomposite material as an electrolyte. It gives excellent performance with maximum power density 525mW𝑐𝑚−2 at 650 °C temperature.