Boosting the electrocatalytic performance of double perovskite air electrodes via Rb-doping for oxygen reduction and hydrogen production in reversible protonic ceramic electrochemical cells

Abstract

Abstract: The slow oxygen reaction kinetics of air electrodes impair the performance of reversible protonic ceramic electrochemical cells (R-PCECs); hence, it is imperative to design novel air electrodes featuring excellent catalytic activity and endurance. Here, we report an Rb-doped double perovskite PrBa_0.8Ca_0.1Rb_0.1Co₂O₅₊_δ (denoted as PBCR_0.1C) as an air electrode for R-PCECs, displaying a low polarization resistance of 0.044 Ω cm² at 700 °C and excellent stability during exposure to humid air (3 vol% H₂O). The high performance is attributed to the high electrical conductivity, high concentration of oxygen vacancies, and fast surface exchange, as verified by the analyses of X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, thermogravimetric testing, and conductivity tests. The R-PCECs with the PBCR_0.1C air electrode demonstrate an encouraging performance at 700 °C: a peak power density of 2.32 W cm^-2 in a fuel cell (FC) mode and an electrolysis current density of -3.55 A cm^-2 at 1.3 V in an electrolysis (EL) mode. At 30 vol% steam concentration, a Faraday efficiency of 87.80% and a corresponding H₂ production rate of 3.05 mL min^-1 cm^-2 at a current density of -0.5 A cm^-2 at 650 °C. Additionally, the durability of the cell in the FC mode (120 h), EL mode (120 h), and cycling FC/EL mode (100 h) at 650 °C suggests the great potential of PBCR_0.1C as the highly reactive and robust air electrodes of R-PCECs.

Key words: Air electrode, Stability, Rubidium-doping, Reversible protonic ceramic electrochemical cells, Oxygen reduction/evolution reaction

Chuqian Jian, Yixuan Huang, Hui Gao, Jiaojiao Xia, Wenjie Gong, Xirui Zhang, Xiaofeng Chen, Jiang Liu, Ying Liu, Yu Chen. Boosting the electrocatalytic performance of double perovskite air electrodes via Rb-doping for oxygen reduction and hydrogen production in reversible protonic ceramic electrochemical cells[J]. Chinese Journal of Catalysis.

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