Membrane-Related Materials for Fuel Cell and/or Battery Applications

A special issue of Membranes (ISSN 2077-0375).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 May 2024 | Viewed by 2862

Special Issue Editors

School of Materials Science and Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332-0245, USA
Interests: ionic conductivity; fuel cells; perovskite materials; electrolyzers; electrolyte mateirals

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Guest Editor
Huairou Laboratory, Beijing 101400, China
Interests: solid oxide fuel cells; solid oxide electrolysis cells; reversible proton-conducting solid oxide cells; metal-supported solid oxide fuel cells; high-temperature water/CO2 electrolysis

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Guest Editor
Energy Materials and Surface Sciences Unit, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University, 1919-1 Tancha, Onna-son 904-0495, Kunigami-gun, Okinawa, Japan
Interests: lithium-ion batteries; fast-charging materials; electrocatalyst; operando spectroscopy

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The Special Issue, entitled "Membrane-related Materials for Fuel Cell and/or Battery Applications", is dedicated to exploring cutting-edge advancements in those materials crucial for the development and enhancement of fuel cells and batteries. Membranes play a pivotal role in the performance and efficiency of these energy storage technologies, influencing key factors such as conductivity, selectivity, and overall durability. This interdisciplinary platform invites researchers, scientists, and engineers to contribute their latest findings, innovative methodologies, and insightful perspectives on membrane-related materials.

The scope of the Special Issue encompasses a broad range of materials, including, but not limited to, polymers, ceramics, and hybrid materials, designed to address challenges and push the boundaries of fuel cell and battery technologies. Contributions may delve into novel synthesis techniques, characterization methods, theoretical studies and modeling, and performance evaluations of membrane materials, fostering a comprehensive understanding of their fundamental properties and potential applications.

Researchers are encouraged to explore diverse aspects, such as membrane design for specific applications, improvements in proton or ion conductivity, and strategies to enhance the mechanical properties and stability of membranes under various operating conditions. Furthermore, investigations into the compatibility of membrane materials with different electrolytes and electrode materials will contribute to the overall knowledge base in the field.

The Special Issue aims to serve as a valuable resource for the scientific community, providing a platform for the exchange of ideas and insights that will drive advancements in membrane-related materials, ultimately contributing to the progress of fuel cell and battery technologies. As the energy landscape continues to evolve, this collection of research will play a pivotal role in shaping the future of sustainable and efficient energy storage systems.

Dr. Zheyu Luo
Dr. Yucun Zhou
Dr. Tongtong Li
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Membranes is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • membrane materials
  • energy storage
  • energy conversion
  • fuel cells
  • electrolyzers
  • batteries
  • separators
  • solid state electrolyte
  • ionic conductivity
  • durability

Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

17 pages, 4188 KiB  
Article
Effect of NiO Addition on the Sintering and Electrochemical Properties of BaCe0.55Zr0.35Y0.1O3-δ Proton-Conducting Ceramic Electrolyte
by Chengxin Peng, Bingxiang Zhao, Xie Meng, Xiaofeng Ye, Ting Luo, Xianshuang Xin and Zhaoyin Wen
Membranes 2024, 14(3), 61; https://doi.org/10.3390/membranes14030061 - 27 Feb 2024
Viewed by 1157
Abstract
Proton ceramic fuel cells offer numerous advantages compared with conventional fuel cells. However, the practical implementation of these cells is hindered by the poor sintering activity of the electrolyte. Despite extensive research efforts to improve the sintering activity of BCZY, the systematic exploration [...] Read more.
Proton ceramic fuel cells offer numerous advantages compared with conventional fuel cells. However, the practical implementation of these cells is hindered by the poor sintering activity of the electrolyte. Despite extensive research efforts to improve the sintering activity of BCZY, the systematic exploration of the utilization of NiO as a sintering additive remains insufficient. In this study, we developed a novel BaCe0.55Zr0.35Y0.1O3-δ (BCZY) electrolyte and systematically investigated the impact of adding different amounts of NiO on the sintering activity and electrochemical performance of BCZY. XRD results demonstrate that pure-phase BCZY can be obtained by sintering the material synthesized via solid-state reaction at 1400 °C for 10 h. SEM analysis revealed that the addition of NiO has positive effects on the densification and grain growth of BCZY, while significantly reducing the sintering temperature required for densification. Nearly fully densified BCZY ceramics can be obtained by adding 0.5 wt.% NiO and annealing at 1350 °C for 5 h. The addition of NiO exhibits positive effects on the densification and grain growth of BCZY, significantly reducing the sintering temperature required for densification. An anode-supported full cell using BCZY with 0.5 wt.% NiO as the electrolyte reveals a maximum power density of 690 mW cm−2 and an ohmic resistance of 0.189 Ω cm2 at 650 °C. Within 100 h of long-term testing, the recorded current density remained relatively stable, demonstrating excellent electrochemical performance. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Membrane-Related Materials for Fuel Cell and/or Battery Applications)
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12 pages, 3285 KiB  
Article
A High-Strength Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Supported by an Ordered Porous Cathode Membrane
by Ting Chen, Huilin Zhang, Guozhu Zheng, Qiang Xue, Zuzhi Huang, Yucun Zhou and Shaorong Wang
Membranes 2024, 14(2), 44; https://doi.org/10.3390/membranes14020044 - 04 Feb 2024
Viewed by 1322
Abstract
The phase inversion tape casting has been widely used to fabricate open straight porous supports for solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs), which can offer better gas transmission and minimize the concentration polarization. However, the overall weak strength of the macro-porous structure still limits [...] Read more.
The phase inversion tape casting has been widely used to fabricate open straight porous supports for solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs), which can offer better gas transmission and minimize the concentration polarization. However, the overall weak strength of the macro-porous structure still limits the applications of these SOFCs. In this work, a novel SOFC supported by an ordered porous cathode membrane with a four-layer configuration containing a finger-like porous 3 mol% yttria- stabilized zirconia (3YSZ)-La0.8Sr0.2Co0.6Fe0.4O3−δ (LSCF) catalyst, porous 8 mol% yttria-stabilized zirconia (8YSZ)-LSCF catalyst, and dense 8YSZ porous 8YSZ-NiO catalyst is successfully prepared by the phase inversion tape casting, dip-coating, co-sintering, and impregnation process. The flexural strength of the open straight porous 3YSZ membrane is as high as 131.95 MPa, which meets the requirement for SOFCs. The cathode-supported single cell shows a peak power density of 540 mW cm−2 at 850 °C using H2 as the fuel. The degradation mechanism of the SOFC is investigated by the combination of microstructure characterization and distribution of relaxation times (DRT) analysis. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Membrane-Related Materials for Fuel Cell and/or Battery Applications)
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