Nanoscale SOFC electrode architecture engineered using atomic layer deposition

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10529975-B2
Application number	US-201514814881-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 31, 2015
Priority date	Dec 15, 2014
Publication date	Jan 7, 2020
Grant date	Jan 7, 2020

Abstract

One embodiment includes forming surface-modifying phases on a surface of a functional electrode via atomic layer deposition and controlling the chemistry of constituent phases, the crystalline nature of the constituent phases and the thickness of the surface-modifying phase via the atomic layer deposition such that the thickness is between about 2 nm to about 200 nm. The surface-modifying phases enhances the performance of electrocatalytic activity of the functional electrode and the device.

First claim

Therefore, at least the following is claimed:

1. A method, comprising:
forming a surface-modifying phase on a surface of a functional electrode via atomic layer deposition;
controlling the chemistry of the surface modifying phase, the crystalline nature of the surface modifying phase and thickness of the surface-modifying phase via the atomic layer deposition, the thickness being controlled to be within a range of about 2 nm to about 200 nm;
establishing a nano-grained porous ionic conductor surface network on the surface of the functional electrode which increases a triple phase boundary density of the functional electrode; and
wherein the surface-modifying phase enhances a performance of electrocatalytic activity of the functional electrode.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising applying one or more thermal treatments to the surface-modifying phase.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the surface-modifying phase comprises at least one of: (1) a plurality of discrete nano-particles of an ionic conductor, (2) a plurality of discrete nano-particles of an electrocatalyst, (3) a continuous nano-scale porous single phase ionic conductor network, (4) a continuous nano-scale porous single-phase electrocatalyst, or (5) a nano-composite scaffold composed of multiple phases selected from the above (1)-(4).

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the ionic conductors may comprise at least one of: pure ZrO 2 , doped ZrO 2 , pure CeO 2 , doped CeO 2 , pure LaGaO 3 , doped LaGaO 3 , pure Ba 2 In 2 O 5 , doped Ba 2 In 2 O 5 , BaZrO 3 , or doped BaZrO 3 .

5. The method of claim 3 , wherein the continuous nano-scale porous single phase ionic conductor network may comprise at least one of: pure ZrO 2 , doped ZrO 2 , pure CeO 2 , doped CeO 2 , BaZrO 3 , doped BaZrO 3 , pure LaGaO 3 , doped LaGaO 3 , pure Ba 2 In 2 O 5 , or doped Ba 2 In 2 O 5 .

6. The method of claim 3 , wherein discrete nano-particles of an electrocatalyst may comprise at least one of: cobalt oxide, ferrite, La x Sr 1-x MnO 3 (LSM), La x Sr 1-x CoO 3 (LSC), La x Sr 1-x Co y Fe 1-y MnO 3 (LSCF), Pt, Ru Pd, or Pt—Ru alloy.

7. The method of claim 3 , wherein the nano-composite scaffold comprises a nano-ionic conductor network and a nano catalyst.

8. The method of claim 3 , wherein the nano-composite scaffold comprises a nano electrocatalyst network and a nano catalyst.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the surface modifying phase comprises a plurality of phases, and wherein forming the surface-modifying phase further comprises:
depositing a first surface-modifying phase comprising a plurality of isolated and discrete particles, a porous connected network, and a continuous layer of an electrocatalyst; and
depositing a second surface-modifying phase comprising an electrolyte over the first surface-modifying phase,
wherein the second surface-modifying phase fills in one or more gaps in the first surface-modifying phase.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the surface modifying phase comprises a plurality of phases, and wherein forming the surface-modifying phase further comprises:
depositing a first surface-modifying phase comprising an ionic conductor; and
depositing a second surface-modifying phase over the first surface-modifying phase, the second surface-modifying phase comprising a plurality of isolated and discrete particles of an electrocatalyst.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the thickness is between about 2 nm to about 100 nm.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the thickness is between about 2 nm to about 40 nm.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the thickness is between about 2 nm to about 20 nm.

Assignees

• Univ West Virginia

Inventors

• Song Xueyan
• Chen Yun
• Gerdes Kirk
• Lee Shiwoo

Classifications

• H01M8/1213

  characterised by the electrode/electrolyte combination or the supporting material · CPC title

• H01M2008/1293

  Fuel cells with solid oxide electrolytes · CPC title

• H01M8/1246

  the electrolyte consisting of oxides · CPC title

• H01M4/8626

  characterised by the form · CPC title

• H01M2300/0074

  Ion conductive at high temperature · CPC title