Cathode of a fuel cell with a solid polymer electrolyte: Calculating overall currents in the presence of a gas-diffusion layer

Mathematical apparatus, which makes it possible to perform calculations of the current-voltage characteristics of cathodes of fuel cells with a solid polymer electrolyte in conditions where there are present extraneous diffusion restrictions is proposed. In so doing, the partial pressure of oxygen and the absolute pressure of gas in the gas chamber may assume any values. First of all presented are the results of calculations of the current-voltage characteristics intrinsic to active layers of the air and oxygen cathodes, which are performed under the assumption that the extraneous diffusion restrictions are absent altogether. Thereafter, in the same conditions (at the same parameters that characterize the active layer of a cathode), obtained are results of a calculation of the current-voltage characteristics inherent in the air and oxygen cathodes in the presence of extraneous diffusion restrictions. Afterward there is performed an analysis of the way a gas-diffusion layer restricts the process of generation of current in a cathode and of what measures should be taken in order for the extraneous diffusion restrictions to become less significant.     

Thermodynamics of Binary and Ternary Copper-, Cadmium,and Indium-Containing Semiconducting Phases: An Electrochemical Study

Optimum compositions of ion-selective membranes in quasi-binary systems CuCl-CdCl₂, LiCl-CdCl₂, and In₂S₃-InCl₃ are selected by a method of coulometric titration in cells with solid electrolytes. Transport numbers for ions are close to unity for the optimum compositions; transport numbers for electrons are vanishingly small ( ≺10⁻³ to 10⁻⁴); the electroconductivity is equal to ≈ 10⁻³ S cm⁻¹ at 200°C; the diffusion coefficients for the current-producing component are on the order of 10⁻⁶ to 10⁻⁷ cm² s⁻¹. When using a solid electrolyte of the composition CuCl-CdCl₂, which contains 30 mol % CdCl₂, methods of emf and electroconduction reveal that the region of homogeneity of copper(I) selenide falls in the region of compositions Cu_1.33Se-Cu_2.67Se.__________Translated from Elektrokhimiya, Vol. 41, No. 6, 2005, pp. 721–727.Original Russian Text Copyright © 2005 by Leushina, Kolesnikova, Makhanova, Zlomanov.Published on the basis of a report delivered at the VII Meeting on Fundamental Problems in Solid-State Ionics (Chernogolovka-2004).     

锂离子电池PMMA-VAc聚合物电解质的制备与性质研究

以甲基丙烯酸甲酯(MMA)和醋酸乙烯酯(VAc)为单体, 用乳液聚合法合成聚甲基丙烯酸甲酯-醋酸乙烯酯聚合物(PMMA-VAc), 并以此聚合物制备了新型聚烯烃膜支撑的聚合物膜及聚合物电解质. 用红外光谱(FTIR)、凝胶色谱(GPC)、差热和热重分析(DSC/TG)、扫描电镜(SEM)及电池充放电实验等方法研究了聚合物、聚合物膜和聚合物电解质的性质. 红外光谱结果表明, MMA与VAc通过各自的C＝C双键打开聚合成PMMA-VAc. PMMA-VAc易于分散在混合碳酸酯溶剂中并形成凝胶, 凝胶粘度随PMMA-VAc浓度的增加而增加, 当浓度为4%时成膜效果最佳. PMMA-VAc膜具有大量的微孔结构, 具有极强的吸液性能. PMMA-VAc膜具有良好的热稳定性: 在380 ℃范围内保持稳定. 聚烯烃膜支撑的PMMA-VAc膜室温下的离子电导率为1.85×10^－3 S•cm^－1, 用作为锂离子电池的聚合物电解质时, 电池具有良好的循环稳定性和倍率性能.     

Characterization of fibril reinforced membranes for fuel cells

Characteristics of fibril reinforced membranes developed by Asahi Glass Company are reviewed. PTFE-fibrils <1 μm in diameter are dispersed in ion-exchange membranes uniformly. Mechanical properties, such as tensile strength, tear strength, creep property and compressive property were examined and compared with non-reinforced membranes. Fibril reinforced membranes, even by the addition of a small amount of PTFE-fibrils (2.7 wt.%), show excellent mechanical strength, especially in creep and tear strength. Cell performance is nearly equal to the one using a non-reinforced membrane and cell voltage stays about the same during the cell operation at 80 °C for 3000 h.     

Ionic Liquid Based Electrolyte with Mesoporous Silica SBA-15 as Framework for Quasi-solid-state Dye-sensitized Solar Cells

Quasi-solid-state electrolytes were fabricated with mesoporous silica SBA-15 as a framework material. Ionic conductivity measurements revealed that SBA-15 can enhance the conductivity of the quasi-solid-state electrolyte. The diffusion coefficients of polyiodide ions such as Ⅰ3ˉ and Ⅰ5ˉ which were confirmed by Raman spectroscopic measurement, were about twice larger than that of I-. The optimized photoenergy conversion efficiency of dye-sensitized solar cells （DSSC） with the quasi-solid-state electrolyte was 4.3% under AM 1.5 irradiation at 75 mW·cm^-2 light intensity.     

Influence of nanoporous carbon electrode thickness on the electrochemical characteristics of a nanoporous carbon|tetraethylammonium tetrafluoroborate in acetonitrile solution interface

Electrochemical characteristics for the nanoporous carbon|Et₄NBF₄+acetonitrile interface have been studied by cyclic voltammetry and impedance spectroscopy methods. The influence of the electrolyte concentration and thickness of the nanoporous electrode material on the shape of the cyclic voltammetry and impedance curves has been established and the reasons for these phenomena are discussed. A value of zero charge potential, depending slightly on the structure and concentration of the electrolyte, the region of ideal polarizability and other characteristics have been established. The nanoporous nature of the carbon electrodes introduces a distribution of resistive and capacitive elements, giving rise to complicated electrochemical behaviour. Analysis of the complex plane plots shows that the nanoporous carbon|Et₄NBF₄+acetonitrile electrolyte interface can be simulated by an equivalent circuit, in which two parallel conduction paths in the solid and liquid phases are interconnected by the double-layer capacitance in parallel with the complex admittance of the hindered reaction of the charge transfer or of the partial charge transfer (i.e. adsorption stage limited) process. The values of the characteristic frequency depend on the electrolyte concentration and electrode potential, i.e. on the nature of the ions adsorbed at the surface of the nanoporous carbon electrode. The value of the solid state phase resistance established is independent of the thickness of the electrode material.     

Methane conversion to C2 hydrocarbons in solid electrolyte membrane reactors

Solid electrolyte membrane reactors (SEMRs) have been used to both study and influence catalytic reaction rates. Methane coupling is the reaction most thoroughly and intensively studied in these membrane reactors. In the last 20 years, oxygen ion (O²⁻), proton (H⁺) and mixed (O²⁻-e⁻, H⁺-e⁻) conducting membranes have been tested in order to maximize the conversion of methane to C₂ compounds. The present review contains the fundamental operating principles of the various SEMR types and their applications in this reaction. The difficulties that should be overcome in order to promote this SEMR process to an industrial scale are discussed.     

Effect of Copper on Solid Electrolytes (Ce0.8Sm0.2)1 ? xCuxO2 ? δ and Composite Cathodes Based on La0.8Sr0.2MnO3

The phase composition and electroconduction in air of solid electrolytes (Ce_0.8Sm_0.2)_{1 − x} Cu_xO_{2 − δ} (CSCu), where x = 0, 2, 5, 10, and 20 mol % and which are synthesized using the ceramic technology, are studied. Adding an additive of CuO lowers the CSCu sintering temperature by 100– 200°C and leads to the formation of single-phase solid solutions of a fluorite type up to x = 10 mol %. The electroconductivity of the CSCu electrolytes remains practically invariant upon adding up to 5 mol % Cu and equals 0.089–0.095 and 0.017–0.021 S cm⁻¹ at 800 and 600°C. The sintering, adhesion, and electroconductance of composite cathodes based on La_0.8Sr_0.2MnO₃ with 40% CSCu and their electrochemical behavior in air in the temperature interval 900–1000°C on carrying electrolyte Zr^0.9Y_0.1O_1.95 with a CSCu sublayer containing 2 mol % Cu are studied.__________Translated from Elektrokhimiya, Vol. 41, No. 5, 2005, pp. 656–661.Original Russian Text Copyright © 2005 by Bogdanovich, Gorelov, Balakireva, Dem’yanenko.     

Influence of size,ellipticity and charge separation on the free energy of some aqueous bolaform electrolyte models

The free energy of some models of aqueous bolaform electrolytes have been calculated at the Debye-Hückel limiting law plus B ₂ level of approximation. The repulsive forces are modeled by hard spheres or hard ellipsoids. The charges are placed either at the center of the sphere or at the foci of the ellipsoid. Parameters were chosen to approximate the size and shape of sodium and calcium p-benzenedisufonate and sodium 4,4-biphenyldisulfonate. The results show that contrary to the standard explanations for the unusual properties of bolaform electrolytes, separating the charges has little effect on the excess free energy. It is also shown that changing from a sphere to an ellipse has little effect on the excess free energy. The most important determinates of the properties of these salts are the sizes of the ions. Agreement of the model calculations with experimental results is reasonable considering the simplicity of the models.