Properties of Ceria Based Novel Anode Nanopowders Synthesized by Glycine-Nitrate Process

Abstract

Novel anode nanopowder materials consisting of ceria-based components synthesized by glycine-nitrate process were investigated for solid oxide fuel cells. Glycine-nitrate process involves a self-combustion reaction at 220 degrees C of water-based nitrate and glycine solutions which subsequently can reach up to 1200 degrees C. The resulting morphology, the size of particles and the formation of crystalline phases were characterized by differential scanning calorimetry, X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, the Brunauer-Emmett-Teller method and Nanosizer. It was determined that dopants in ceria such as Co, Ni, Cu, V and Fe had significant effect on the morphology and size. The size distribution measured by Nanosizer was 50-600 nm, transmission electron microscopy, 5-200 nm and the Brunauer-Emmett-Teller method 100-120 nm and specific surface area of powders in the range 67.45-72.05 m(2) g(-1) as measured by the Brunauer-Emmett-Teller method. Particles were observed to have spherical structures for Cu and Fe doped powders and rod-shaped in a porous tuff microstructure for those doped with Co and Ni. Vanadium doping helped to decrease the porosity and initiated the process of spheroidization of particles. DOI: 10.12693/APhysPolA.123.432