Protonic ceramic fuel cell

The reaction of many proposed fuels in PCFCs produce electricity and heat, the latter keeping the device at a suitable temperature.

In this setting, gaseous molecules of the hydrocarbon fuel are absorbed on the surface of the anode in the presence of water vapor, with carbon dioxide as the primary reaction product; hydrogen atoms are efficiently stripped off to be turned into H+ ions then moving into the electrolyte to the other side (cathode) where they react with oxygen in the air to produce water.

[11] The current mechanism for increased densification are unknown but are likely due to the creation of a secondary ZnO phase or the partial substitution of Zr4+ onto Zn or Y sites.

[13] Crack formation within PCFC materials can drastically reduce the durability of the cell and in extreme cases lead to complete failure.

In fact, Irvine et al. has produced a PCFC using BaCe0.7Zr0.1Y0.15Zn0.05O3−δ(BCZYZn05) in the anode, cathode, and electrolyte to improve thermal expansion matching.

To mitigate the compressive stress caused by water uptake, the hydration of BZY should be performed at high temperatures.