Technical Topic Area 3D - Cathode Performance and Stability Improvements in Intermediate Temperature Solid Oxide Fuel Cells

The summary for the Technical Topic Area 3D - Cathode Performance and Stability Improvements in Intermediate Temperature Solid Oxide Fuel Cells Federal Grant is detailed below. It contains information such as the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) number, who is eligible for the grant, how much grant money will be awarded, important deadlines, and a sampling of similar government grants. Verify the accuracy of the data FederalGrants.com provides by visiting the webpage noted in the Link to Full Announcement section or by contacting the appropriate person listed in the Grant Announcement Contact section. If these sections are incomplete, please visit the website of the government agency that is offering this grant.


	Federal Grant Title:	Technical Topic Area 3D - Cathode Performance and Stability Improvements in Intermediate Temperature Solid Oxide Fuel Cells
	CFDA Number:	81.057
	CFDA Description:	University Coal Research
	Federal Agency Name:	National Energy Technology Laboratory
	Category of Funding Activity:	Energy Science and Technology
	Category Explanation:	Information not provided
	Opportunity Category:	Discretionary
	Funding Opportunity Number:	DE-PS26-06NT42751-3D
	Document Type:	Grants Notice
	Funding Instrument Type:	Grant
	Posted Date:	Apr 24, 2006
	Creation Date:	Apr 24, 2006
	Original Closing Date for Applications:	Jun 14, 2006
	Current Closing Date for Applications:	Information not provided
	Archive Date:	Aug 24, 2006
	Expected Number of Awards:	Information not provided
	Estimated Total Program Funding:	Information not provided
	Federal Grant Award Ceiling:	Information not provided
	Federal Grant Award Floor:	Information not provided
	Cost Sharing or Matching Requirement:	Yes

Applicants Eligible for this Grant: Public and State controlled institutions of higher education Private institutions of higher education
Additional Information on Eligibility: Information not provided
Grant Description: NOTE: This descriptive area provides an overview of Technical Topic Area 3D only. YOU MUST READ THE FUNDING OPPORTUNITY ANNOUNCEMENT DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS ON ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, EVALUATION CRITERIA AND HOW TO PREPARE AN APPLICATION UNDER AN AREA OF INTEREST. Please scroll to the bottom of this page to access the Funding Opportunity Announcement. Cathode Performance and Stability Improvements in Intermediate Temperature Solid Oxide Fuel Cells (DE-PS26-06NT42751-3D) Inefficiencies in cathodic electrochemical charge transfer (ECT) in solid oxide fuel cells (SOFC) make it difficult to operate SOFC devices with proven materials in the intermediate temperature range below 750C. Cathode materials that exhibit promising charge transfer kinetics leading to reasonable area specific resistances (ASR) at intermediate temperatures, also seem to be the least thermally and chemically stable with regard to the environment of the SOFC air reaction chamber. Research seeking to understand the activity and stability of intermediate temperature SOFC cathodes under realistic operating conditions and environments is needed to develop improved cathode/current collection systems. The air chamber environment surrounding the cathode includes direct interfaces with the electrolyte and current collector materials as well as contaminants arriving via various diffusion paths from the gas separation interconnection plate or from seal materials. Performance data from cell tests often indicate short term instabilities (often labeled burn-in effects) followed by less rapid long term degradation. The instability is sometimes correlated with changes in current collection materials or in the materials and coatings used in the separation plates. The mechanisms for such degradation are poorly understood because the effects may involve subtle surface chemistry structural changes, and are always dependant on the details of the materials configuration and the operating conditions. Careful analytical determination of contamination levels and phases is often missing from reports of performance data or is limited to the spatial and compositional resolution of SEM work (few studies have, for example, employed TEM identification of surface and grain boundary phases and compositions.) Recent efforts have been made to modify the cathode structure through post-firing infiltration of catalysts that modify the active regions of the cathode. While infiltration methods show promise, a detailed understanding of the nature of the resulting sub-micron structural and compositional modifications, and their long term stability under operating conditions, remains to be determined. Stability and performance are intimately linked when examining cathodic reactions. The mechanisms for degradation most likely involve materials transformations that affect the mechanisms for efficient ECT and low ASRs. Likewise, if the mechanisms for effective ECT were fully understood, it would be more possible to design degradation resistant air chamber systems. This research topic seeks proposals that address detailed determination of intermediate temperature SOFC cathode ECT mechanisms and/or the mechanisms of instability and degradation of the most active cathode materials. State of the art analytical characterization of cathode materials in-situ or after environmental exposure would be a necessary part of a conclusive study. A connection between performance and sub-micron materials structure under realistic operating environments is sought.
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Richard Rogus
jame.cox@netl.doe.gov
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