This page has only limited features, please log in for full access.
Muhammad Imran Asghar works in the Department of Applied Physics at Aalto University, Finland as an Academy of Finland Research Fellow. He was granted the title of Docent by the School of Science, Aalto University in 2017. He is awarded with prestigious fellowship by Academy of Finland (2019-2024) and another distinguished talent 100 distinguished professor position by Hubei province China (2019-2024). He has been also working in the Finnish industry as well. He has expertise in ceramic nanocomposite fuel cells, dye-sensitized solar cells, perovskite solar cells, crystalline-silicon solar cells, batteries and other energy technologies. He is an expert in computational fluid dynamics simulations. Furthermore, he is an expert on modern printing technologies i.e. 3D printing, ink-jet printing, screen-printing and tape-casting. He has published over 70 international publications in reputed journals and international conference proceedings. He has supervised numerous Bachelors, Masters and Doctoral theses.
Single-layer ceramic fuel cells consisting of Li0.15Ni0.45Zn0.4O2, Gd0.2Ce0.8O2 and a eutectic mixture of Li2CO3, Na2CO3 and K2CO3, were fabricated through extrusion-based 3D printing. The sintering temperature of the printed cells was varied from 700 °C to 1000 °C to identify the optimal thermal treatment to maximize the cell performance. It was found that the 3D printed single-layer cell sintered at 900 °C produced the highest power density (230 mW/cm2) at 550 °C, which is quite close to the performance (240 mW/cm2) of the single-layer cell fabricated through a conventional pressing method. The best printed cell still had high ohmic (0.46 Ω·cm2) and polarization losses (0.32 Ω·cm2) based on EIS measurements conducted in an open-circuit condition. The XRD spectra showed the characteristic peaks of the crystalline structures in the composite material. HR-TEM, SEM and EDS measurements revealed the morphological information of the composite materials and the distribution of the elements, respectively. The BET surface area of the single-layer cells was found to decrease from 2.93 m2/g to 0.18 m2/g as the sintering temperature increased from 700 °C to 1000 °C. The printed cell sintered at 900 °C had a BET surface area of 0.34 m2/g. The fabrication of single-layer ceramic cells through up-scalable 3D technology could facilitate the scaling up and commercialization of this promising fuel cell technology.
Muhammad Imran Asghar; Pyry Mäkinen; Sini Virtanen; Anna Maitre; Maryam Borghei; Peter D. Lund. Systematic Analysis on the Effect of Sintering Temperature for Optimized Performance of Li0.15Ni0.45Zn0.4O2-Gd0.2Ce0.8O2-Li2CO3-Na2CO3-K2CO3 Based 3D Printed Single-Layer Ceramic Fuel Cell. Nanomaterials 2021, 11, 2180 .
AMA StyleMuhammad Imran Asghar, Pyry Mäkinen, Sini Virtanen, Anna Maitre, Maryam Borghei, Peter D. Lund. Systematic Analysis on the Effect of Sintering Temperature for Optimized Performance of Li0.15Ni0.45Zn0.4O2-Gd0.2Ce0.8O2-Li2CO3-Na2CO3-K2CO3 Based 3D Printed Single-Layer Ceramic Fuel Cell. Nanomaterials. 2021; 11 (9):2180.
Chicago/Turabian StyleMuhammad Imran Asghar; Pyry Mäkinen; Sini Virtanen; Anna Maitre; Maryam Borghei; Peter D. Lund. 2021. "Systematic Analysis on the Effect of Sintering Temperature for Optimized Performance of Li0.15Ni0.45Zn0.4O2-Gd0.2Ce0.8O2-Li2CO3-Na2CO3-K2CO3 Based 3D Printed Single-Layer Ceramic Fuel Cell." Nanomaterials 11, no. 9: 2180.
Structural doping is often used to prepare materials with high oxygen-ion conductivity and electrocatalytic function, but its wider application in solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) is still a major challenge. Here, a novel approach to developing materials with fast ionic conduction and high electrocatalytic activity is reported. A semiconductor-ionic heterostructure of perovskite Ba0.5Sr0.5Fe0.8Sb0.2O3-δ (BSFSb) and fluorite structure Sm0.2Ce0.8O2-δ (SDC) is employed. The BSFSb-SDC heterostructure exhibits a high ionic conductivity > 0.1 S cm-1 (vs 0.01 S cm-1 of SDC) and achieves a remarkable fuel cell performance (>1000 mWcm-2) at 550 ℃. It was found that the BSFSb-SDC has both electrolyte and electrode (cathode) functions with enhanced ionic transport and electrocatalytic activity simultaneously. When using BSFSb-SDC as an electrolyte, the interface energy-band reconstruction and charge transfer at particle level forming a built-in electric field (BIEF) make electronic confinement. The BIEF originates from the potential gradient due to differences in the electron density, which facilitates ionic conduction at the interface of the BSFSb and SDC particles. This work provides a new insight in designing functional materials with high ionic conductivity and electrocatalytic function, which can be used both for energy conversion and storage device.
Naveed Mushtaq; Yuzheng Lu; Chen Xia; Wenjing Dong; BaoYuan Wang; M.A.K. Yousaf Shah; Sajid Rauf; Muhammad Akbar; Enyi Hu; Rizwan Raza; Muhammad Imran Asghar; Peter D. Lund; Bin Zhu. Promoted electrocatalytic activity and ionic transport simultaneously in dual functional Ba0.5Sr0.5Fe0.8Sb0.2O3-δ-Sm0.2Ce0.8O2-δ heterostructure. Applied Catalysis B: Environmental 2021, 298, 120503 .
AMA StyleNaveed Mushtaq, Yuzheng Lu, Chen Xia, Wenjing Dong, BaoYuan Wang, M.A.K. Yousaf Shah, Sajid Rauf, Muhammad Akbar, Enyi Hu, Rizwan Raza, Muhammad Imran Asghar, Peter D. Lund, Bin Zhu. Promoted electrocatalytic activity and ionic transport simultaneously in dual functional Ba0.5Sr0.5Fe0.8Sb0.2O3-δ-Sm0.2Ce0.8O2-δ heterostructure. Applied Catalysis B: Environmental. 2021; 298 ():120503.
Chicago/Turabian StyleNaveed Mushtaq; Yuzheng Lu; Chen Xia; Wenjing Dong; BaoYuan Wang; M.A.K. Yousaf Shah; Sajid Rauf; Muhammad Akbar; Enyi Hu; Rizwan Raza; Muhammad Imran Asghar; Peter D. Lund; Bin Zhu. 2021. "Promoted electrocatalytic activity and ionic transport simultaneously in dual functional Ba0.5Sr0.5Fe0.8Sb0.2O3-δ-Sm0.2Ce0.8O2-δ heterostructure." Applied Catalysis B: Environmental 298, no. : 120503.
Introducing triple-charge (H+/O2–/e–) conducting materials is a promising alternative to modify a cathode as an electrolyte in advanced ceramic fuel cells (CFC). Herein, we designed a novel triple-charge conducting perovskite-structured semiconductor Co0.2/Fe0.2-codoped La0.5Ba0.5Zr0.3Y0.3O3−δ (CF-LBZY) and used as an electrolyte and an electrode. CF-LBZY perovskite as an electrolyte exhibited high ionic (O2–/H+) conductivity of 0.23 S/cm and achieved a remarkable power density of 656 mW/cm2 550 °C. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis revealed that the Co/Fe codoping supports the formation of oxygen vacancies at the B-site of a perovskite structure. Besides, using CF-LBZY as a cathode, the fuel cell delivered 150 and 177 mW/cm2 at 550 °C, respectively, where Y-doped BaZrO3 and Sm-doped ceria (SDC) were used as electrolytes. During the fuel-cell operation, H+ injection into the CF-LBZY electrolyte may suppress electronic conduction. Furthermore, the metal–semiconductor junction (Schottky junction) has been proposed by considering the work function and electron affinity to interpret short-circuiting avoidance in our device. The current systematic study indicates that triple-charge conduction in CF-LBZYO3−δ has potential to boost the electrochemical performance in advanced low-temperature fuel-cell technology.
M. A. K. Yousaf Shah; Sajid Rauf; Naveed Mushtaq; Bin Zhu; Zuhra Tayyab; Muhammad Yousaf; Muhammad Bilal Hanif; Peter D. Lund; Yuzheng Lu; Muhammad Imran Asghar. Novel Perovskite Semiconductor Based on Co/Fe-Codoped LBZY (La0.5Ba0.5 Co0.2Fe0.2Zr0.3Y0.3O3−δ) as an Electrolyte in Ceramic Fuel Cells. ACS Applied Energy Materials 2021, 4, 5798 -5808.
AMA StyleM. A. K. Yousaf Shah, Sajid Rauf, Naveed Mushtaq, Bin Zhu, Zuhra Tayyab, Muhammad Yousaf, Muhammad Bilal Hanif, Peter D. Lund, Yuzheng Lu, Muhammad Imran Asghar. Novel Perovskite Semiconductor Based on Co/Fe-Codoped LBZY (La0.5Ba0.5 Co0.2Fe0.2Zr0.3Y0.3O3−δ) as an Electrolyte in Ceramic Fuel Cells. ACS Applied Energy Materials. 2021; 4 (6):5798-5808.
Chicago/Turabian StyleM. A. K. Yousaf Shah; Sajid Rauf; Naveed Mushtaq; Bin Zhu; Zuhra Tayyab; Muhammad Yousaf; Muhammad Bilal Hanif; Peter D. Lund; Yuzheng Lu; Muhammad Imran Asghar. 2021. "Novel Perovskite Semiconductor Based on Co/Fe-Codoped LBZY (La0.5Ba0.5 Co0.2Fe0.2Zr0.3Y0.3O3−δ) as an Electrolyte in Ceramic Fuel Cells." ACS Applied Energy Materials 4, no. 6: 5798-5808.
Introducing multiple-ionic transport through a semiconductor-electrolyte is a promising approach to realize the low-temperature operation of SOFCs. Herein, we designed and synthesized a single-phase Ce-doped BaCo0.2Fe0.3-xTm0.1Zr0.3Y0.1O3-δ semiconductor-electrolyte possessing triple-charge (H+/O2−/e−) conduction ability. Two different compositions are synthesized: BaCo0.2Fe0.3-xCexTm0.1Zr0.3Y0.1O3-δ [x = 0.1–0.2]. The 20% doped Ce composition exhibits an outstanding oxide-ion and protonic conductivity of 0.193 S cm−1 and 0.09 S cm−1 at 530 °C and the fuel cell utilizing BaCo0.2Fe0.2Ce0.2Tm0.1Zr0.3Y0.1O3-δ as an electrolyte yields an excellent power density of 873 mW cm−2 at 530 °C. Moreover, the fuel cell performed reasonably well (383 mW cm−2) even at a low temperature of 380 °C. Furthermore, the 10% Ce-doped utilized in fuel cell device illustrates lower performance (661 mW cm−2 at 530 °C and 260 mW cm−2 at 380 °C). Successful doping of Ce supports the formation of oxygen-vacancies at the B-site of perovskite and adjusting the ratio of Fe in the compositions. Moreover, the presence of Tm also assist in the creation of oxygen vacancies. Furthermore, the boosting of electrochemical performance and ionic conductivity of applied materials are enlightened by tuning the energy-band structure via employing the UPS and UV–Vis. The physical characterizations and verification of dual-ions (H+/O2−) in the semiconductor materials are performed via different electrochemical, spectroscopic, and microscopic techniques. A systematic study revealed triple charge conduction in this promising material, which helps in boosting the electrochemical performance of the LT-SOFC.
Sajid Rauf; Bin Zhu; M.A.K. Yousaf Shah; Chen Xia; Zuhra Tayyab; Nasir Ali; Changping Yang; Naveed Mushtaq; Muhammad Imran Asghar; Fazli Akram; Peter D. Lund. Tailoring triple charge conduction in BaCo0.2Fe0.1Ce0.2Tm0.1Zr0.3Y0.1O3−δ semiconductor electrolyte for boosting solid oxide fuel cell performance. Renewable Energy 2021, 172, 336 -349.
AMA StyleSajid Rauf, Bin Zhu, M.A.K. Yousaf Shah, Chen Xia, Zuhra Tayyab, Nasir Ali, Changping Yang, Naveed Mushtaq, Muhammad Imran Asghar, Fazli Akram, Peter D. Lund. Tailoring triple charge conduction in BaCo0.2Fe0.1Ce0.2Tm0.1Zr0.3Y0.1O3−δ semiconductor electrolyte for boosting solid oxide fuel cell performance. Renewable Energy. 2021; 172 ():336-349.
Chicago/Turabian StyleSajid Rauf; Bin Zhu; M.A.K. Yousaf Shah; Chen Xia; Zuhra Tayyab; Nasir Ali; Changping Yang; Naveed Mushtaq; Muhammad Imran Asghar; Fazli Akram; Peter D. Lund. 2021. "Tailoring triple charge conduction in BaCo0.2Fe0.1Ce0.2Tm0.1Zr0.3Y0.1O3−δ semiconductor electrolyte for boosting solid oxide fuel cell performance." Renewable Energy 172, no. : 336-349.
Sami V. Jouttijärvi; Muhammad Imran Asghar; Peter D. Lund. Investigation of factors affecting the performance of a single-layer nanocomposite fuel cell. Catalysis Today 2021, 364, 104 -110.
AMA StyleSami V. Jouttijärvi, Muhammad Imran Asghar, Peter D. Lund. Investigation of factors affecting the performance of a single-layer nanocomposite fuel cell. Catalysis Today. 2021; 364 ():104-110.
Chicago/Turabian StyleSami V. Jouttijärvi; Muhammad Imran Asghar; Peter D. Lund. 2021. "Investigation of factors affecting the performance of a single-layer nanocomposite fuel cell." Catalysis Today 364, no. : 104-110.
Low-temperature solid oxide fuel cells (LT-SOFCs) are a promising fuel cell technology but often suffer from low ionic conductivity of the electrolyte. Herein, we develop a solid electrolyte with high ionic conductivity based on thulium (Tm)-doped composite Sr0.1TmxCe0.9-xO2-δ [x = 0.1] having a cubic fluorite structure. The fuel cell using Tm-doped SrCeO2-δ electrolyte achieved the power output of 682 mW/cm2 at 550 °C with an open-circuit voltage (OCV) of 1.03 V, whereas the fuel cell with Sr0·1Ce0·9O2-δ electrolyte produced a power density of 515 mW/cm2 with an OCV of 1.02 V. Doping of 10% Tm into SrCeO2-δ enables the creation of oxygen vacancies in the structure, which enables the enhancement in ionic conductivity and provides the fast transport path. Thus, doping of both Sr and Tm into CeO2 enhances the generation of high content of oxygen vacancies. The calculated ionic conductivity of Tm-doped SrCeO2-δ is 0.13 S/cm which is appreciably higher than that of the pure SrCeO2-δ (0.104 S/cm at 550°C). Moreover, the enhancement of power output can also be ascribed to band bending at the electrolyte-electrode interface, which overall decreases the inherent electronic properties of reduced ceria while increases the ionic conductivity.
S. Rauf; B. Zhu; M.A.K.Y. Shah; Z. Tayyab; S. Attique; N. Ali; N. Mushtaq; M.I. Asghar; P.D. Lund; C.P. Yang. Low-temperature solid oxide fuel cells based on Tm-doped SrCeO2-δ semiconductor electrolytes. Materials Today Energy 2021, 20, 100661 .
AMA StyleS. Rauf, B. Zhu, M.A.K.Y. Shah, Z. Tayyab, S. Attique, N. Ali, N. Mushtaq, M.I. Asghar, P.D. Lund, C.P. Yang. Low-temperature solid oxide fuel cells based on Tm-doped SrCeO2-δ semiconductor electrolytes. Materials Today Energy. 2021; 20 ():100661.
Chicago/Turabian StyleS. Rauf; B. Zhu; M.A.K.Y. Shah; Z. Tayyab; S. Attique; N. Ali; N. Mushtaq; M.I. Asghar; P.D. Lund; C.P. Yang. 2021. "Low-temperature solid oxide fuel cells based on Tm-doped SrCeO2-δ semiconductor electrolytes." Materials Today Energy 20, no. : 100661.
Semiconductor heterostructures offer a high ionic conduction path enhanced by built-in electric field at the interface, which helps to avoid electronic conduction in low-temperature solid oxide fuel cells (LT-SOFCs). In this study, we synthesized a semiconductor heterostructure based on Co-doped ZnO and Sm0.2Ce0.8O2–δ (SDC) for LT-SOFC application. First, we optimized the composition of the Co-doped ZnO by varying the doping concentration. The cell with Co0.2Zn0.8O composition (σi = 0.158 S cm–1) yielded the best performance of 664 mW cm–2 at 550 °C. This optimized composition of Co-doped ZnO was mixed with a well-known ionic conductor Sm0.2Ce0.8O2−δ (SDC) to further improve the ionic conductivity and performance of the cell. The heterostructure formed between these two semiconductor materials improved the ionic conductivity of this composite material to 0.24 S cm–1 at 550 °C, which is 2 orders higher in magnitude than that of bulk SDC. The fuel cells fabricated with this promising semiconductor-ionic heterostructure material produced an outstanding power density of 928 mW cm–2 at 550 °C. Our further investigation shows protonic conduction (H+) in the Co0.2Zn0.8O-SDC composite, which exhibited protonic conduction 0.088 S cm–1 with a power density of 388 mW cm–2 at 550 °C. A detailed characterization of the material and the fuel cells is performed with the help of different electrochemical (electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS)), spectroscopic (X-ray diffraction (XRD), UV–vis spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS)), and microscopic techniques (scanning electron microscopy (SEM), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectrometry (EDX)). The stability of the cell was tested for 35 h to ensure stable operation of these devices. This semiconductor-ionic heterostructure composite provides insight into the development of electrolyte membranes for advanced SOFCs.
Sajid Rauf; M. A. K. Yousaf Shah; Bin Zhu; Zuhra Tayyab; Nasir Ali; Sanam Attique; Chen Xia; Rabia Khatoon; Changping Yang; Muhammad Imran Asghar; Peter D. Lund. Electrochemical Properties of a Dual-Ion Semiconductor-Ionic Co0.2Zn0.8O-Sm0.20Ce0.80O2−δ Composite for a High-Performance Low-Temperature Solid Oxide Fuel Cell. ACS Applied Energy Materials 2021, 4, 194 -207.
AMA StyleSajid Rauf, M. A. K. Yousaf Shah, Bin Zhu, Zuhra Tayyab, Nasir Ali, Sanam Attique, Chen Xia, Rabia Khatoon, Changping Yang, Muhammad Imran Asghar, Peter D. Lund. Electrochemical Properties of a Dual-Ion Semiconductor-Ionic Co0.2Zn0.8O-Sm0.20Ce0.80O2−δ Composite for a High-Performance Low-Temperature Solid Oxide Fuel Cell. ACS Applied Energy Materials. 2021; 4 (1):194-207.
Chicago/Turabian StyleSajid Rauf; M. A. K. Yousaf Shah; Bin Zhu; Zuhra Tayyab; Nasir Ali; Sanam Attique; Chen Xia; Rabia Khatoon; Changping Yang; Muhammad Imran Asghar; Peter D. Lund. 2021. "Electrochemical Properties of a Dual-Ion Semiconductor-Ionic Co0.2Zn0.8O-Sm0.20Ce0.80O2−δ Composite for a High-Performance Low-Temperature Solid Oxide Fuel Cell." ACS Applied Energy Materials 4, no. 1: 194-207.
A semiconductor-based electrolyte in a ceramic fuel cell (SCFC) has the potential to improve the device performance even at lower temperatures (≤520 °C) mainly due to its high ionic conductivity. Here, we present a chemically stable perovskite semiconductor Nb-doped SrTiO3−δ (STN) electrolyte for the SCFC, which reached a high power density of 678 mW/cm2 and a high open-circuit voltage (OCV) of 1.03 V at 520 °C. The STN showed a high ionic conductivity of 0.22 S/cm. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and band structure analysis revealed that the high ionic conductivity is due to an increase in oxygen vacancies and band gap modulation. It was also found that the bending of the energy band at the electrode/electrolyte interface helps to block the electrons and thus avoids the problem of short circuit. These results indicate that doping and energy band gap modulation can be effective approaches to develop advanced semiconductor electrolytes for SCFCs.
M. A. K. Yousaf Shah; Sajid Rauf; Bin Zhu; Naveed Mushtaq; Muhammad Yousaf; Peter D. Lund; Chen Xia; Muhammad Imran Asghar. Semiconductor Nb-Doped SrTiO3−δ Perovskite Electrolyte for a Ceramic Fuel Cell. ACS Applied Energy Materials 2021, 4, 365 -375.
AMA StyleM. A. K. Yousaf Shah, Sajid Rauf, Bin Zhu, Naveed Mushtaq, Muhammad Yousaf, Peter D. Lund, Chen Xia, Muhammad Imran Asghar. Semiconductor Nb-Doped SrTiO3−δ Perovskite Electrolyte for a Ceramic Fuel Cell. ACS Applied Energy Materials. 2021; 4 (1):365-375.
Chicago/Turabian StyleM. A. K. Yousaf Shah; Sajid Rauf; Bin Zhu; Naveed Mushtaq; Muhammad Yousaf; Peter D. Lund; Chen Xia; Muhammad Imran Asghar. 2021. "Semiconductor Nb-Doped SrTiO3−δ Perovskite Electrolyte for a Ceramic Fuel Cell." ACS Applied Energy Materials 4, no. 1: 365-375.
Dual-ion electrolytes with oxygen ion and proton-conducting properties are among the innovative solid oxide electrolyte, which exhibits a low ohmic resistance at temperatures below 550oC. BaCo0.4Fe0.4Zr0.1Y0.1O3-δ with a perovskite-phase cathode has demonstrated efficient triple charge conduction (H+/O2−/e−) for high-performance cathode in low-temperature solid oxide fuel cell (LT-SOFC). Here we designed another type of triple-charge conducting perovskite oxide based on Ba0.5Sr0.5Co0.1Fe0.7Zr0.1Y0.1O3-δ (BSCFZY) which formed a heterostructure with ionic conductor Ca0.04Ce0.80Sm0.16O2-δ (SCDC) showing both a high ionic conductivity of 0.22 Scm-1 and an excellent power output of 900 mW/cm2 in a hybrid-ion LT-SOFC. In addition to demonstrating that a heterostructure BSCFZY-SCDC approach can be a good functional electrolyte, the existence of hybrid H+/O2- conducting species in BSCFZY-SCDC was confirmed. The hetero-interface formation between BSCFZY and SCDC can be explained by energy band alignment which was verified through UV-Vis and UV photoelectron spectroscopy (UPS). The interface may help in providing a pathway to enhance the ionic conductivities and to avoid short-circuiting. Various characterization techniques are being used to probe the electrochemical and physical properties of the material containing dual-ion characteristics. The results indicate that the triple charge conducting electrolyte is a potential candidate to further reduce the operating temperature of SOFC, but simultaneously maintaining a high performance.
Sajid Rauf; Bin Zhu; M. A. K Yousaf Shah; Zuhra Tayyab; Sanam Attique; Nasir Ali; Naveed Mushtaq; BaoYuan Wang; Changping Yang; Muhammad Imran Asghar; Peter D. Lund. Application of a Triple-Conducting Heterostructure Electrolyte of Ba0.5Sr0.5Co0.1Fe0.7Zr0.1Y0.1O3−δ and Ca0.04Ce0.80Sm0.16O2−δ in a High-Performance Low-Temperature Solid Oxide Fuel Cell. ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces 2020, 12, 35071 -35080.
AMA StyleSajid Rauf, Bin Zhu, M. A. K Yousaf Shah, Zuhra Tayyab, Sanam Attique, Nasir Ali, Naveed Mushtaq, BaoYuan Wang, Changping Yang, Muhammad Imran Asghar, Peter D. Lund. Application of a Triple-Conducting Heterostructure Electrolyte of Ba0.5Sr0.5Co0.1Fe0.7Zr0.1Y0.1O3−δ and Ca0.04Ce0.80Sm0.16O2−δ in a High-Performance Low-Temperature Solid Oxide Fuel Cell. ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces. 2020; 12 (31):35071-35080.
Chicago/Turabian StyleSajid Rauf; Bin Zhu; M. A. K Yousaf Shah; Zuhra Tayyab; Sanam Attique; Nasir Ali; Naveed Mushtaq; BaoYuan Wang; Changping Yang; Muhammad Imran Asghar; Peter D. Lund. 2020. "Application of a Triple-Conducting Heterostructure Electrolyte of Ba0.5Sr0.5Co0.1Fe0.7Zr0.1Y0.1O3−δ and Ca0.04Ce0.80Sm0.16O2−δ in a High-Performance Low-Temperature Solid Oxide Fuel Cell." ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces 12, no. 31: 35071-35080.
An improved SOFC anode with excellent stability against carbon deposition with syngas as fuel is reported. The anode material is Ni–La0.8Sr0.2FeO3 (LSF) composite synthesized by anhydrous impregnation. After reduction in wet H2 (3% H2O), the material partially decomposes to SrLaFeO4 and exsolved Fe. The exsolved Fe forms Ni–Fe alloy with impregnated Ni. The particle size of Ni–Fe alloy is about 20–50 nm. The Ni–Fe alloy nanoparticles disperse on the surface of the La0.8Sr0.2FeO3 and SrLaFeO4 oxides. The increase of Ni content promotes the exsolution of Fe and increases the reaction sites of Ni–Fe alloy. With the increase of the Ni content, the electrical conductivity and catalytic activity are enhanced, which improves the electrochemical performance of the single cell. The cell with 10 mol.% Ni impregnated Ni-LSF as anode achieves a maximum power density of 550 mW cm−2 at 700 °C fueled with syngas. The strong interaction of the nano-sized Ni–Fe alloy with the LaxSryFeOz (La0.8Sr0.2FeO3 or SrLaFeO4) oxide substrate efficiently suppresses carbon deposition with high graphitization degree. Besides, the SrLaFeO4 phase which can accommodate interstitial oxygen facilitates the removal of the deposited carbon.
Xueli Yao; Muhammad Imran Asghar; Yicheng Zhao; Yongdan Li; Peter D. Lund. Coking resistant Ni–La0.8Sr0.2FeO3 composite anode improves the stability of syngas-fueled SOFC. International Journal of Hydrogen Energy 2020, 46, 9809 -9817.
AMA StyleXueli Yao, Muhammad Imran Asghar, Yicheng Zhao, Yongdan Li, Peter D. Lund. Coking resistant Ni–La0.8Sr0.2FeO3 composite anode improves the stability of syngas-fueled SOFC. International Journal of Hydrogen Energy. 2020; 46 (15):9809-9817.
Chicago/Turabian StyleXueli Yao; Muhammad Imran Asghar; Yicheng Zhao; Yongdan Li; Peter D. Lund. 2020. "Coking resistant Ni–La0.8Sr0.2FeO3 composite anode improves the stability of syngas-fueled SOFC." International Journal of Hydrogen Energy 46, no. 15: 9809-9817.
A mixed ionic and semiconducting composite in a single-layer configuration has been shown to work as a fuel cell at a lower temperature (500–600 °C) than a traditional solid-oxide fuel cell. The performance of a single-layer fuel cell (SLFC) is often limited by high resistive losses. Here, a eutectic mixture of alkali-carbonates was added to SLFC to improve the ionic conductivity. The dual-phase composite ionic conductor consisted of a ternary carbonate (sodium lithium potassium carbonate, NLKC) mixed with gadolinium-doped cerium oxide (GDC). Lithium nickel zinc oxide (LNZ) was used as the semiconducting material. The LNZ-GDC-NLKC SLFC reached a high power density, 582 mW/cm2 (conductivity 0.22 S/cm) at 600 °C, which is 30 times better than without the carbonate. The best results were obtained with the ternary carbonate which decreased the ohmic losses of the cell by more than 95%, whereas the SLFC with a binary carbonate (sodium lithium carbonate, NLC) showed a lower conductivity and performance (243 mW/cm2, 0.17 S/cm at 600 °C). It is concluded that adding carbonates to LNZ-GDC will improve the ionic conductivity and positively contribute to the cell performance. These results suggest a potential path for further development of SLFCs, but also imply the need for efforts on up-scaling and stability to produce practical applications with SLFC.
S. Jouttijärvi; X. Yao; M. I. Asghar; J. Etula; A.-M. Reinecke; W. Lippmann; P. D. Lund. Carbonate dual-phase improves the performance of single-layer fuel cell made from mixed ionic and semiconductor composite. BMC Energy 2020, 2, 1 -10.
AMA StyleS. Jouttijärvi, X. Yao, M. I. Asghar, J. Etula, A.-M. Reinecke, W. Lippmann, P. D. Lund. Carbonate dual-phase improves the performance of single-layer fuel cell made from mixed ionic and semiconductor composite. BMC Energy. 2020; 2 (1):1-10.
Chicago/Turabian StyleS. Jouttijärvi; X. Yao; M. I. Asghar; J. Etula; A.-M. Reinecke; W. Lippmann; P. D. Lund. 2020. "Carbonate dual-phase improves the performance of single-layer fuel cell made from mixed ionic and semiconductor composite." BMC Energy 2, no. 1: 1-10.
High-temperature operation of solid oxide fuel cells causes several degradation and material issues. Lowering the operating temperature results in reduced fuel cell performance primarily due to the limited ionic conductivity of the electrolyte. Here we introduce the Fe-doped SrTiO3-δ (SFT) pure perovskite material as an electrolyte, which shows good ionic conduction even at lower temperatures, but has low electronic conduction avoiding short-circuiting. Fuel cell fabricated using this electrolyte exhibits a maximum power density of 540 mW/cm2 at 520 °C with Ni-NCAL electrodes. It was found that the Fe-doping into the SrTiO3-δ facilitates the creation of oxygen vacancies enhancing ionic conductivity and transport of oxygen ions. Such high performance can be attributed to band-bending at the interface of electrolyte/electrode, which suppresses electron flow, but enhances ionic flow.
M.A.K. Yousaf Shah; Sajid Rauf; Naveed Mushtaq; Zuhra Tayyab; Nasir Ali; Muhammad Yousaf; Yueming Xing; Muhammad Akbar; Peter D. Lund; Chang Ping Yang; Bin Zhu; Muhammad Imran Asghar. Semiconductor Fe-doped SrTiO3-δ perovskite electrolyte for low-temperature solid oxide fuel cell (LT-SOFC) operating below 520 °C. International Journal of Hydrogen Energy 2020, 45, 14470 -14479.
AMA StyleM.A.K. Yousaf Shah, Sajid Rauf, Naveed Mushtaq, Zuhra Tayyab, Nasir Ali, Muhammad Yousaf, Yueming Xing, Muhammad Akbar, Peter D. Lund, Chang Ping Yang, Bin Zhu, Muhammad Imran Asghar. Semiconductor Fe-doped SrTiO3-δ perovskite electrolyte for low-temperature solid oxide fuel cell (LT-SOFC) operating below 520 °C. International Journal of Hydrogen Energy. 2020; 45 (28):14470-14479.
Chicago/Turabian StyleM.A.K. Yousaf Shah; Sajid Rauf; Naveed Mushtaq; Zuhra Tayyab; Nasir Ali; Muhammad Yousaf; Yueming Xing; Muhammad Akbar; Peter D. Lund; Chang Ping Yang; Bin Zhu; Muhammad Imran Asghar. 2020. "Semiconductor Fe-doped SrTiO3-δ perovskite electrolyte for low-temperature solid oxide fuel cell (LT-SOFC) operating below 520 °C." International Journal of Hydrogen Energy 45, no. 28: 14470-14479.
A composite of CuFe2O4 and Gd-Sm co-doped CeO2 is studied for a single layer ceramic fuel cell application. In order to optimize the cell performance, the effects of sintering temperatures (600 °C, 700 °C, 800 °C, 900 °C and 1000 °C) were investigated for the fabrication of the cells. It was found that the cells sintered at 700 °C outperformed other cells with a maximum peak power density of 344 mW/cm2 at 550 °C. The electrochemical impedance spectroscopy analysis on the best cell revealed significant ohmic losses (0.399 Ω cm2) and polarization losses (0.174 Ω cm2) in the cell. The HR-TEM and SEM gave microstructural information of the cell. The HT-XRD spectra showed the crystal structures in different sintering temperatures. The cell performance was stable and the composite material did not degrade during an 8 h stability test under open-circuit condition. This study opens up new avenues for the exploration of this nanocomposite material for the low temperature single component ceramic fuel cell research.
M.I. Asghar; X. Yao; S. Jouttijärvi; E. Hochreiner; R. Virta; Peter Lund. Intriguing electrochemistry in low-temperature single layer ceramic fuel cells based on CuFe2O4. International Journal of Hydrogen Energy 2019, 45, 24083 -24092.
AMA StyleM.I. Asghar, X. Yao, S. Jouttijärvi, E. Hochreiner, R. Virta, Peter Lund. Intriguing electrochemistry in low-temperature single layer ceramic fuel cells based on CuFe2O4. International Journal of Hydrogen Energy. 2019; 45 (45):24083-24092.
Chicago/Turabian StyleM.I. Asghar; X. Yao; S. Jouttijärvi; E. Hochreiner; R. Virta; Peter Lund. 2019. "Intriguing electrochemistry in low-temperature single layer ceramic fuel cells based on CuFe2O4." International Journal of Hydrogen Energy 45, no. 45: 24083-24092.
In recent scientific research, an interest has been gained significantly by rare earth metals such as cerium (Ce), samarium (Sm) and gadolinium (Gd) due to their use in fuel cells as electrolyte and catalysts. When used in an electrolyte, these materials lower the fuel cell's operating temperature compared to a conventional electrolyte, for example, yittria-stablized zirconia (YSZ) which operates at a high temperature (≥800 °C). In this paper, the tri-doped ceria, M0.2Ce0.8O2-δ (M = Sm0.1, Ca0.05, Gd0.05) electrolyte powders was synthesized using the co-precipitation method at 80 °C. These dopants were used for CeO2 with a total molar ratio of 1M. Dry-pressed powder technique was used to make fuel cell pellets from the powder and placed them in the furnace to sinter at 700 °C for 60 min. Electrical conductivity of such a pellet in air was 1.2 × 10−2 S cm−1 at 700 °C measured by the ProboStat-NorECs setup. The crystal structure was determined with the help of -ray diffraction (XRD), which showed that all the dopants were successfully doped in CeO2. Raman spectroscopy and UV-VIS spectroscopy were also carried out to analyse the molecular vibrations and absorbance, respectively. The maximum open-circuit voltages (OCVs) for hydrogen and ethanol fuelled at 550 °C were observed to be 0.89 V and 0.71 V with power densities 314 mW cm−2 and 52.8 mW cm−2, respectively.
Muhammad Kaleem Ullah; Rizwan Raza; M.I. Asghar; Amjad Ali; Asia Rafique; Ghazanfar Abbas; Muhammad Ashfaq Ahmad; Imran Hanif; Muhammad Akbar; Peter Lund; Asia Iftikhar. Tri-doped ceria (M0.2Ce0.8O2-δ, M= Sm0.1, Ca0.05, Gd0.05) electrolyte for hydrogen and ethanol-based fuel cells. Journal of Alloys and Compounds 2018, 773, 548 -554.
AMA StyleMuhammad Kaleem Ullah, Rizwan Raza, M.I. Asghar, Amjad Ali, Asia Rafique, Ghazanfar Abbas, Muhammad Ashfaq Ahmad, Imran Hanif, Muhammad Akbar, Peter Lund, Asia Iftikhar. Tri-doped ceria (M0.2Ce0.8O2-δ, M= Sm0.1, Ca0.05, Gd0.05) electrolyte for hydrogen and ethanol-based fuel cells. Journal of Alloys and Compounds. 2018; 773 ():548-554.
Chicago/Turabian StyleMuhammad Kaleem Ullah; Rizwan Raza; M.I. Asghar; Amjad Ali; Asia Rafique; Ghazanfar Abbas; Muhammad Ashfaq Ahmad; Imran Hanif; Muhammad Akbar; Peter Lund; Asia Iftikhar. 2018. "Tri-doped ceria (M0.2Ce0.8O2-δ, M= Sm0.1, Ca0.05, Gd0.05) electrolyte for hydrogen and ethanol-based fuel cells." Journal of Alloys and Compounds 773, no. : 548-554.
Although ceramic nanocomposite fuel cells (CNFCs) have attracted the attention of the fuel cell community due to their low operating temperature (<600 °C), often the performance of the cells is limited due to the low ionic conductivity of the electrolyte and the sluggish reaction kinetics at the electrodes. This results in high ohmic and charge transfer losses in the cell performance. Here we report nanocomposite electrolyte (GDC-NLC) and electrodes (NiO-GDC-NLC and LSCF-GDC-NLC as anode and cathode respectively) with enhanced ionic conductivity and catalytic activity respectively, which significantly improve the ionic transport in the electrolyte layer (ohmic losses ≈ 0.23 Ω cm2) and the reaction kinetics at the electrodes (polarization losses ≈ 0.63 Ω cm2). Microstructural and phase changes in the materials were characterized with X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and differential scanning calorimetry to understand the mechanisms in the cells. Our button fuel cell produced an outstanding performance of 1.02 W/cm2 at 550 °C.
M.I. Asghar; S. Jouttijärvi; R. Jokiranta; Peter Lund. Remarkable ionic conductivity and catalytic activity in ceramic nanocomposite fuel cells. International Journal of Hydrogen Energy 2018, 43, 12892 -12899.
AMA StyleM.I. Asghar, S. Jouttijärvi, R. Jokiranta, Peter Lund. Remarkable ionic conductivity and catalytic activity in ceramic nanocomposite fuel cells. International Journal of Hydrogen Energy. 2018; 43 (28):12892-12899.
Chicago/Turabian StyleM.I. Asghar; S. Jouttijärvi; R. Jokiranta; Peter Lund. 2018. "Remarkable ionic conductivity and catalytic activity in ceramic nanocomposite fuel cells." International Journal of Hydrogen Energy 43, no. 28: 12892-12899.
M.I. Asghar; S. Jouttijärvi; Peter Lund. High performance ceramic nanocomposite fuel cells utilizing LiNiCuZn-oxide anode based on slurry method. International Journal of Hydrogen Energy 2018, 43, 12797 -12802.
AMA StyleM.I. Asghar, S. Jouttijärvi, Peter Lund. High performance ceramic nanocomposite fuel cells utilizing LiNiCuZn-oxide anode based on slurry method. International Journal of Hydrogen Energy. 2018; 43 (28):12797-12802.
Chicago/Turabian StyleM.I. Asghar; S. Jouttijärvi; Peter Lund. 2018. "High performance ceramic nanocomposite fuel cells utilizing LiNiCuZn-oxide anode based on slurry method." International Journal of Hydrogen Energy 43, no. 28: 12797-12802.
Ceramic fuel cells, such as solid oxide fuel cells, convert the chemical energy of a fuel directly to electricity. To make these to a commercial success, several challenges need to be solved such as lowering the operating temperature and improving long‐term stability. Since ceramic fuel cells are complex nanolevel structures, it is crucial to understand how the actual nanostructure of the cell is linked to its macroscopic performance. This paper reviews how different microscopic techniques have been used to obtain information of the fuel cell structure in both two‐dimensional and three‐dimensional and how this information have been used to solve problems related to the cell performance. Finally, the paper proposes how recent development in the field of microscopy could be applied to fuel cell studies. This article is categorized under: Fuel Cells and Hydrogen > Science and Materials
Sami Jouttijärvi; Muhammad Imran Asghar; Peter D. Lund. Microscopic techniques for analysis of ceramic fuel cells. WIREs Energy and Environment 2018, 7, 1 .
AMA StyleSami Jouttijärvi, Muhammad Imran Asghar, Peter D. Lund. Microscopic techniques for analysis of ceramic fuel cells. WIREs Energy and Environment. 2018; 7 (5):1.
Chicago/Turabian StyleSami Jouttijärvi; Muhammad Imran Asghar; Peter D. Lund. 2018. "Microscopic techniques for analysis of ceramic fuel cells." WIREs Energy and Environment 7, no. 5: 1.
Muhammad Imran Asghar; Mikko Heikkilä; Peter D. Lund. Advanced low-temperature ceramic nanocomposite fuel cells using ultra high ionic conductivity electrolytes synthesized through freeze-dried method and solid-route. Materials Today Energy 2017, 5, 338 -346.
AMA StyleMuhammad Imran Asghar, Mikko Heikkilä, Peter D. Lund. Advanced low-temperature ceramic nanocomposite fuel cells using ultra high ionic conductivity electrolytes synthesized through freeze-dried method and solid-route. Materials Today Energy. 2017; 5 ():338-346.
Chicago/Turabian StyleMuhammad Imran Asghar; Mikko Heikkilä; Peter D. Lund. 2017. "Advanced low-temperature ceramic nanocomposite fuel cells using ultra high ionic conductivity electrolytes synthesized through freeze-dried method and solid-route." Materials Today Energy 5, no. : 338-346.
Ieeba Khan; Muhammad Imran Asghar; Peter D. Lund; Suddhasatwa Basu. High conductive (LiNaK) 2 CO 3 Ce 0.85 Sm 0.15 O 2 electrolyte compositions for IT-SOFC applications. International Journal of Hydrogen Energy 2017, 42, 20904 -20909.
AMA StyleIeeba Khan, Muhammad Imran Asghar, Peter D. Lund, Suddhasatwa Basu. High conductive (LiNaK) 2 CO 3 Ce 0.85 Sm 0.15 O 2 electrolyte compositions for IT-SOFC applications. International Journal of Hydrogen Energy. 2017; 42 (32):20904-20909.
Chicago/Turabian StyleIeeba Khan; Muhammad Imran Asghar; Peter D. Lund; Suddhasatwa Basu. 2017. "High conductive (LiNaK) 2 CO 3 Ce 0.85 Sm 0.15 O 2 electrolyte compositions for IT-SOFC applications." International Journal of Hydrogen Energy 42, no. 32: 20904-20909.
A comparative analysis of perovskite structured cathode materials, La0.65Sr0.35MnO3 (LSM), La0.8Sr0.2CoO3 (LSC), La0.6Sr0.4FeO3 (LSF) and La0.6Sr0.4Co0.2Fe0.8O3 (LSCF), was performed for a ceramic-carbonate nanocomposite fuel cell using composite electrolyte consisting of Gd0.1Ce0.9O1.95 (GDC) and a eutectic mixture of Na2CO3 and Li2CO3. The compatibility of these nanocomposite electrode powder materials was investigated under air, CO2 and air/CO2 atmospheres at 550 °C. Microscopy measurements together with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) elementary analysis revealed few spots with higher counts of manganese relative to lanthanum and strontium under pure CO2 atmosphere. Furthermore, electrochemical impedance (EIS) analysis showed that LSC had the lowest resistance to oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) (14.12 Ω∙cm2) followed by LSF (15.23 Ω∙cm2), LSCF (19.38 Ω∙cm2) and LSM (>300 Ω∙cm2). In addition, low frequency EIS measurements (down to 50 μHz) revealed two additional semi-circles at frequencies around 1 Hz. These semicircles can yield additional information about electrochemical reactions in the device. Finally, a fuel cell was fabricated using GDC/NLC nanocomposite electrolyte and its composite with NiO and LSCF as anode and cathode, respectively. The cell produced an excellent power density of 1.06 W/cm2 at 550 °C under fuel cell conditions.
Muhammad Imran Asghar; Sakari Lepikko; Janne Patakangas; Janne Halme; Peter D. Lund. Comparative analysis of ceramic-carbonate nanocomposite fuel cells using composite GDC/NLC electrolyte with different perovskite structured cathode materials. Frontiers of Chemical Science and Engineering 2017, 12, 162 -173.
AMA StyleMuhammad Imran Asghar, Sakari Lepikko, Janne Patakangas, Janne Halme, Peter D. Lund. Comparative analysis of ceramic-carbonate nanocomposite fuel cells using composite GDC/NLC electrolyte with different perovskite structured cathode materials. Frontiers of Chemical Science and Engineering. 2017; 12 (1):162-173.
Chicago/Turabian StyleMuhammad Imran Asghar; Sakari Lepikko; Janne Patakangas; Janne Halme; Peter D. Lund. 2017. "Comparative analysis of ceramic-carbonate nanocomposite fuel cells using composite GDC/NLC electrolyte with different perovskite structured cathode materials." Frontiers of Chemical Science and Engineering 12, no. 1: 162-173.