(65b) Proton-Conducting Solid Oxide Electrolysis Cells Based on Doped-BaZrO3

Hydrogen production using proton-conducting solid oxide electrolysis cells (p-SOECs) offers promising advantages due to the reduced operating temperatures of the cells. The efficiency of the p-SOECs depends greatly on the proton-conducting solid electrolyte. However, proton conductors can suffer from electronic conduction and reduced proton conduction at the p-SOEC conditions resulting in low electrochemical performances and low Faradaic efficiencies. In this work, doped-BaZrO₃ is studied as an electrolyte for p-SOECs, including a new approach to studying the defect chemistry of proton conductors. The effect of doping on the hydration of the material is revealed, and the improvement in the proton conduction is shown for new doped-BaZrO₃ compositions. Finally, the electrolysis performance and Faradaic efficiencies are also studied at reduced temperatures proving the feasibility of new doped-BaZrO₃ compositions.