Yb-Doped BaCeO ₃ and Its Composite Electrolyte for Intermediate-Temperature Solid Oxide Fuel Cells

Abstract

BaCe _0.9Yb _0.1O _3−α was prepared via the sol-gel method using zirconium nitrate, ytterbium trioxide, cerium nitrate and barium acetate as raw materials. Subsequently, it reacted with the binary NaCl~KCl salt to obtain BaCe _0.9Yb _0.1O _3−α-NaCl~KCl composite electrolyte. The structure, morphology, conductivity and fuel cell performance of the obtained samples were investigated. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) images showed that BaCe _0.9Yb _0.1O _3−α and NaCl~KCl combined with each other to form a homogeneous 3-D reticulated structure. The highest power density and conductivity of BaCe _0.9Yb _0.1O _3−α-NaCl~KCl was 393 mW·cm ⁻² and 3.0 × 10 ⁻¹ S·cm ⁻¹ at 700 °C, respectively.