Project coordinator Dr. rer. nat. Denis Gryaznov
Project leading participant Dr. hab. phys. Eugene Kotomin
Project participants
- Dr.rer.nat. Guntars Zvejnieks
- M. Sc. Andrew Chesnokov
- B. Sc. Davis Zavickis
Duration (years) 2018-2021
Total cost 285708 EUR
LZP FLPP Nr. LZP-2018/1-0147
Fuel cells are expected to play an important role in future environmentally friendly energy supply. While high temperature (T>800 °C) oxide fuel cells suffer from limited long-term stability, proton conducting ceramic fuel cells (PCFC) operating at intermediate ~500°C promise the desired comprise between cost, rapid start-up time and stability, because PCFCs (i) can more quickly reach the operating T; (ii) do not require noble metals for electrodes; (iii) do not have materials problems typical for high T cells. However, an efficient cathode material for PCFC poses a big problem, limiting large-scale PCFC industrial application. The main goal of the proposed project is theoretical prediction of new cathode materials for intermediate temperature (450°C) PCFC. This requires understanding of: (i) the decisive structural properties for sufficient proton conductivity; (ii) conditions for the majority of proton uptake by acid-base water incorporation or by redox reaction; (iii) link between mechanical properties and water incorporation. The primary target materials of the proposed research are perovskite-type ferrites and cobaltites.