Co-assembled Nanocomposites: Novel Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Materials

High temperature solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) offer a clean, pollution-free technology to generate electricity electrochemically at high efficiencies. Due to the high operating temperature (700-1000C) SOFCs are more tolerant of fuel impurities compared to other fuel cell types and can operate using natural gas without external reformers or catalysts to produce hydrogen. However, the high operating temperature exposes severe restrictions on materials. Degradation of fuel cell performance occurs with time and is related to the deterioration of material properties and interfacial reactions between various fuel cell components. The main objective of the present post-doctoral project is to explore novel thermally robust mesoporous nanocomposites with high surface area, narrow pore size distribution, and nanocrystalline channel walls. A new soft chemistry self-assembling strategy based upon the co-assembly of a supramolecular cationic surfactant template will be employed to synthesize thermally stable mesoporous yttria stabilized zirconia (meso-YSZ) based SOFC electrodes doped with metal and metal oxides (e.g., Cu, CeO 2 , La1-x Sr x MnO3 ). Resent studies on meso Pt/YSZ and meso-NiO/YSZ by the Materials Chemistry Research Group of the Chemistry Department at University of Toronto showed that the amalgamation of mesoporosity and nanocrystallinity in this new class of materials is responsible for their observed oxygen ion and electronic charge transport behaviour. The novel SOFC electrode material proposed for this post-doctoral project is expected to have a uniform size of mesopores and crystalline channel walls, high thermal stability and electroactive sites, and potential for high mixed ionic and electronic conductivity. In addition, one of the advantages of these materials compared to the traditionally used YSZ cermets would be their supposed ability for direct electrocatalytic oxidation of a wide range of hydrocarbons in SOFCs. In response to the critical need for a cleaner energy technology, the research for alternatives to the generation of heat for powering internal combustion engines by burning of coal/fossil fuels is obvious. We are still far from reaching the promised land of clean, reliable power running on inexhaustible fuel. But advances in energy technology are coming at remarkable pace. And one of the keystones of a pollution free future- the fuel cell - should be in place in time for the world to take full advantage of those other steps forward.