Issue 5, 2022

Exsolution of nanoparticles on A-site-deficient lanthanum ferrite perovskites: its effect on co-electrolysis of CO2 and H2O

Abstract

La0.7Sr0.2Ni0.2Fe0.8O3 (LSNF), having thermochemical stability, superior ionic and electronic conductivity, and structural flexibility, was investigated as a cathode in SOECs. Exsolution of nanoparticles by reduction of LSNF at elevated temperatures can modulate the characteristics of adsorption, electron transfer, and oxidation states of catalytically active atoms, consequently improving the electrocatalytic activity. The exsolution of NiFe and La2NiO4 nanoparticles to the surface of LSNF under reducing atmosphere (5% H2/N2) was verified at various temperatures (500–800 °C) by IFFT from ETEM, TPR and in situ XRD. The exsolved nanoparticles obtained uniform size distribution (4.2–9.2 nm) and dispersion (1.31 to 0.61 × 104 particle per μm2) depending on the reduction temperature (700–800 °C) and time (0–10 h). The reoxidation of the reduced LSNF (Red-LSNF) was verified by the XRD patterns, indicative of its redox ability, which allows for redistribution of the nanoparticles between the surface and the bulk. TPD-DRIFTS analysis demonstrated that Red-LSNF had superior H2O and CO2 adsorption behavior as compared to unreduced LSNF, which we attributed to the abundance of oxygen vacancy sites and the exsolved NiFe and La2NiO4 nanoparticles. After the reduction of LSNF, the decreases in the oxidation states of the catalytically active ions, Fe and Ni, were characterized on the surface by XPS as well as in the bulk by XANES. The electrochemical performance of the Red-LSNF cell was superior to that of the LSNF cell for electrolysis of H2O, CO2, and H2O/CO2.

Graphical abstract: Exsolution of nanoparticles on A-site-deficient lanthanum ferrite perovskites: its effect on co-electrolysis of CO2 and H2O

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
28 Aug. 2021
Accepted
22 Nov. 2021
First published
22 Nov. 2021

J. Mater. Chem. A, 2022,10, 2483-2495

Author version available

Exsolution of nanoparticles on A-site-deficient lanthanum ferrite perovskites: its effect on co-electrolysis of CO2 and H2O

J. Kim, M. Ferree, S. Gunduz, J. M. Millet, M. Aouine, A. C. Co and U. S. Ozkan, J. Mater. Chem. A, 2022, 10, 2483 DOI: 10.1039/D1TA07389C

To request permission to reproduce material from this article, please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

If you are an author contributing to an RSC publication, you do not need to request permission provided correct acknowledgement is given.

If you are the author of this article, you do not need to request permission to reproduce figures and diagrams provided correct acknowledgement is given. If you want to reproduce the whole article in a third-party publication (excluding your thesis/dissertation for which permission is not required) please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

Read more about how to correctly acknowledge RSC content.

Social activity

Spotlight

Advertisements