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HPARIKH ETD Dissertation 120514.pdf (8.51 MB)

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Microstructure Changes In Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Anodes After Operation, Observed Using Three-Dimensional Reconstruction And Microchemical Analysis

Parikh, Harshil R
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=case1417765534

Abstract Details

2015, Doctor of Philosophy, Case Western Reserve University, Materials Science and Engineering.
Solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) have great importance as a more efficient source of electrical power than conventional systems. Nonetheless, there is limited understanding of the processes by which their performance decreases with time, especially during long-term operation (>2 kh). This study sought explanations for performance loss in the microstructural changes that take place in the anodes during operation of periods from 2 to 16 kh. Recently developed three-dimensional (3D) analysis techniques enable the study of aspects of the anode microstructure, such as tortuosity and triple-phase boundary density, that cannot be fully depicted in two-dimensional analyses. The complex multi-phase microstructure of SOFC anodes adds other challenges for applying this technique to study lifetime degradation of SOFCs. The project is divided into four sections: 1) sample preparation and experimentation, including adaptations of standard techniques to the porous microstructures of SOFC anodes; 2) 3D reconstruction and results, including development of original computer codes for the determination of active and inactive triple phase boundary density; 3) microstructural characterization of anodes tested for up to 16 kh at 800 °C, 860°C or 925 °C, including qualitative analysis of chemical composition of the anodes using energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (EDS); 4) development of kinetic models of microstructural change in SOFCs during operation, based on the quantitative analysis and calculated microstructure parameters for the tested SOFC anodes, to enable predictions of long-term performance of SOFCs. Application of 3D reconstruction to SOFC anodes provided insight to the anode microstructure. The microstructural parameters such as volume fractions, particle diameter, active/inactive triple phase boundary, tortuosity; were calculated for the as-reduced cell and cells after operations. Ni and pore phase re-distribution to the anode interfaces were observed during cell operation. The classic relaxation kinetic model was developed to study the long-term Ni growth and reduction in triple phase boundary.
Mark De Guire (Committee Chair)
Arthur Heuer (Advisor)
James McGuffin-Cawley (Committee Member)
M. Cenk Cavusoglu (Committee Member)
170 p.
Materials Science
Solid Oxide Fuel Cell, SOFC, Anode, 3D Reconstruction, long-term performance prediction, triple phase boundary, performance modeling, tortuosity

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Citations

  • Parikh, H. R. (2015). Microstructure Changes In Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Anodes After Operation, Observed Using Three-Dimensional Reconstruction And Microchemical Analysis [Doctoral dissertation, Case Western Reserve University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=case1417765534

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Parikh, Harshil. Microstructure Changes In Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Anodes After Operation, Observed Using Three-Dimensional Reconstruction And Microchemical Analysis. 2015. Case Western Reserve University, Doctoral dissertation. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=case1417765534.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Parikh, Harshil. "Microstructure Changes In Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Anodes After Operation, Observed Using Three-Dimensional Reconstruction And Microchemical Analysis." Doctoral dissertation, Case Western Reserve University, 2015. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=case1417765534

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

case1417765534
1,185
© 2015, some rights reserved.Creative Commons License Microstructure Changes In Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Anodes After Operation, Observed Using Three-Dimensional Reconstruction And Microchemical Analysis by Harshil R Parikh is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License. Based on a work at etd.ohiolink.edu.
This open access ETD is published by Case Western Reserve University School of Graduate Studies and OhioLINK.