Chapter 30
Effect of a Hydrogen Sulfide-Containing
Atmosphere on the Physical
and Mechanical Properties of Solid Oxide
Fuel Cell Materials
B. D. Vasyliv, V. Ya. Podhurska, O. P. Ostash, and V. V. Vira
30.1 Introduction
Fuel cells are electrochemical devices that transform the chemical energy of fuel
into electric energy or heat without intermediate stage of combustion. They have
much higher efficiency than the energy-transforming systems and a much lower
level of emission than internal combustion engines. Therefore, fuel cells are ideal
energy sources for transport, stationary power plants, and mobile power plants.
At present, solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs), due to their versatility (they use all
known types of fuel and are only slightly affected by the purity of fuel), reveal
high economic indices. The problems of degradation of the properties of individual
elements of a SOFC and optimization of their structure as layered macrocomposites
still remain the key problems whose solution is urgently required [1, 2]. To improve
the efficiency of a SOFC, it is necessary to reduce its operating temperature
down to 550–600 ◦ C and increase the electrochemical (electrical conductivity) and
mechanical (strength and a lifetime) characteristics of materials [3–7].
The poisoning effect of sulfur by chemisorption on Ni catalysts is well known
[8]. It is reversible, and a temperature-dependent threshold exists below which no
effect is observed [9]. At 700 ◦ C the threshold is about 1 ppm, and at 1000 ◦ C
the extrapolated value is of the order of 50 ppm. Poisoning by sulfur has been
investigated on YSZ–Ni cermet anodes in H 2 + 3% H 2 O by several groups [10–
12]. In amounts from 5 to 105 ppm, an increase of about a factor of 2 in polarization
resistance has been observed. The effect at 5 ppm H 2 S [11] is in contradiction with
B. D. Vasyliv () · V. Y. Podhurska · O. P. Ostash
Karpenko Physico-Mechanical Institute of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Lviv,
Ukraine
V. V. Vira
Lviv Polytechnic National University, Lviv, Ukraine
© Springer International Publishing AG, part of Springer Nature 2018
O. Fesenko, L. Yatsenko (eds.), Nanochemistry, Biotechnology, Nanomaterials,
and Their Applications, Springer Proceedings in Physics 214,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-92567-7_30
475
Effect of a Hydrogen Sulfide-Containing
Atmosphere on the Physical
and Mechanical Properties of Solid Oxide
Fuel Cell Materials
B. D. Vasyliv, V. Ya. Podhurska, O. P. Ostash, and V. V. Vira
30.1 Introduction
Fuel cells are electrochemical devices that transform the chemical energy of fuel
into electric energy or heat without intermediate stage of combustion. They have
much higher efficiency than the energy-transforming systems and a much lower
level of emission than internal combustion engines. Therefore, fuel cells are ideal
energy sources for transport, stationary power plants, and mobile power plants.
At present, solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs), due to their versatility (they use all
known types of fuel and are only slightly affected by the purity of fuel), reveal
high economic indices. The problems of degradation of the properties of individual
elements of a SOFC and optimization of their structure as layered macrocomposites
still remain the key problems whose solution is urgently required [1, 2]. To improve
the efficiency of a SOFC, it is necessary to reduce its operating temperature
down to 550–600 ◦ C and increase the electrochemical (electrical conductivity) and
mechanical (strength and a lifetime) characteristics of materials [3–7].
The poisoning effect of sulfur by chemisorption on Ni catalysts is well known
[8]. It is reversible, and a temperature-dependent threshold exists below which no
effect is observed [9]. At 700 ◦ C the threshold is about 1 ppm, and at 1000 ◦ C
the extrapolated value is of the order of 50 ppm. Poisoning by sulfur has been
investigated on YSZ–Ni cermet anodes in H 2 + 3% H 2 O by several groups [10–
12]. In amounts from 5 to 105 ppm, an increase of about a factor of 2 in polarization
resistance has been observed. The effect at 5 ppm H 2 S [11] is in contradiction with
B. D. Vasyliv () · V. Y. Podhurska · O. P. Ostash
Karpenko Physico-Mechanical Institute of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Lviv,
Ukraine
V. V. Vira
Lviv Polytechnic National University, Lviv, Ukraine
© Springer International Publishing AG, part of Springer Nature 2018
O. Fesenko, L. Yatsenko (eds.), Nanochemistry, Biotechnology, Nanomaterials,
and Their Applications, Springer Proceedings in Physics 214,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-92567-7_30
475