An efficient electrode for reversible oxygen reduction/evolution and ethylene electro-production on protonic ceramic...

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Electrochemistry
• Chemical Engineering

Background:

• Protonic ceramic electrochemical cells (PCECs) show promise for energy and chemical production.
• Enhancing electrode kinetics and stability remains a key challenge for PCEC technology.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a novel co-doped electrode material for PCECs.
• To investigate the material's performance in fuel cell and electrolysis modes.
• To evaluate its application in electrochemical synthesis of ethylene from ethane.

Main Methods:

• Co-doping of PrBaCo2O6-δ with cesium (Cs) and niobium (Nb) to create PrBa0.9Cs0.1Co1.9Nb0.1O6-δ (PBCCN).
• Characterization of dual-phase PBCCN (DP-PBCCN and SP-BCCN) using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and electrical conductivity relaxations.
• Performance testing in fuel cell (FC) and electrolysis cell (EC) modes, and ethane dehydrogenation.

Main Results:

• PBCCN exhibited low area-specific resistance (0.107 Ω cm²).
• Achieved 2.04 W cm⁻² in FC mode and -2.84 A cm⁻² at 1.3 V in EC mode.
• Demonstrated reversible durability over 212 hours and 12.75% ethane conversion with 98.4% ethylene selectivity.

Conclusions:

• Co-doping with Cs and Nb significantly enhances PCEC electrode performance and stability.
• The dual-phase PBCCN material is effective for both energy conversion and chemical synthesis applications.
• This development paves the way for more efficient and durable PCEC devices.