Hydration significantly boosts ion conductivity in Ba7Nb4MoO20, a promising ceramic electrolyte candidate for low-temperature solid oxide fuel cells, but its origin and mobile ionic species were unresolved issues. Now, researchers at the Institute of Science Tokyo have found that exposure to water vapor enhances oxide-ion mobility by increasing interstitial oxygen ions, nearly doubling the oxide-ion conductivity at 500 °C. The findings of this study could advance the development of efficient and durable fuel cells for clean energy applications.
Water vapor nearly doubles oxide-ion conductivity in promising fuel cell ceramic
