Researchers at Argonne National Laboratory and the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) have begun a research project to create a low-cost production method for solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs).
The National Science Foundation has granted $475,000 for the research project to develop methods that reduce the operating temperatures of SOFCs, which are a major drawback in these fuel cells. However, their solid state and compact size offer a key advantage. SOFCs use solid oxide as the electrolyte in a cathode and anode circuit to oxidize fuels via an electrochemical process to generate electricity
Christos Takoudis, who serves as professor of bio- and chemical engineering at UIC, and his colleagues believe that they can reduce the SOFC's operating temperatures down to 1,100°C-1500°C, called the intermediate range. The team also wanted to study the possibility of producing fuel cells at the nano level.
Takoudis stated that they are aiming for new processes and materials to produce highly efficient SOFCs that can operate at lower temperatures. The main focus of the research is to study the workability of the cathode, anode and electrolyte at interface junctions and to identify the problems of contamination, if any.
Takoudis commented that the actual contact area is increased when the dimensions of SOFCs are reduced. The UIC scientists will develop the materials to use as potential solid electrolytes, cathodes and anodes for their SOFCs, and will investigate the materials as they produce electricity using Argonne's Advanced Photon Source and Takoudis' lab.
During the research work, UIC engineering professors, Alan Zdunek and Gregory Jursich, along with Takoudis will investigate the procedures of chemical vapor deposition and atomic layer processes to produce fuel cell components with enhanced efficacy. UIC associate professor of physics, Robert Klie, will perform electron microscopy study of material interfaces.