| AVS 60th International Symposium and Exhibition | |
| In Situ Spectroscopy and Microscopy Focus Topic | Thursday Sessions |
| Session IS+EN+SP+SS-ThA |
| Session: | In Situ Studies of Electrochemical Interfaces and Processes |
| Presenter: | S.S. Nonnenmann, University of Pennsylvania |
| Authors: | S.S. Nonnenmann, University of Pennsylvania R. Kungas, University of Pennsylvania J.M. Vohs, University of Pennsylvania D.A. Bonnell, University of Pennsylvania |
| Correspondent: | Click to Email |
Many strategies for advancing energy related processes involve high temperatures and reactive environments. Fuel cell operation, chemical catalysis, and certain approaches to energy harvesting are examples. Scanning probe microscopy boasts a versatile toolbox of local and often atomic resolution measurements of phenomena at a scale that enables understanding of complex processes involved in many systems. Applying these techniques to the realistic conditions under which these processes operate inherently poses significant experimental design challenges. To overcome this, we have developed a system allowing SPM at temperatures to 600°C in reactive gas environments. Here the characterization of an operating fuel cell serves as the first demonstration. Solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) offer the highest conversion efficiencies with operating temperatures ranging from 400°C - 1000°C and operate under variable gaseous fuel environments – H2-based environments (anode side) and O2-based environments (cathode side). Topography and the influence of the local ionic chemical potential on the surface potential are observed along the electrode/electrolyte interface while under operation. While not (yet) at atomic levels of spatial resolution, these probes are at the scale to examine local interface properties.