Unprecedented Room-Temperature Electrical Power Generation Using Nanoscale Fluorite-Structured Oxide Electrolytes

The feasibility of power generation at very low temperatures using water concentration cells and nanoscale fluorite-structured oxides as electrolytes was investigated. The concentration cells were constructed using the nanostructured YSZ and SDC as electrolytes. The emf of both the YSZ and the SDC cells at room temperature were measured. The observed changes of the potential with water partial pressure for both oxides were significantly greater than theoretically calculated values indicating that water incorporation is more complicated. It was observed that the power output behavior of the cells is qualitatively similar to that observed in high temperature fuel cells. It was also observed that the power density in cells, obtained at room temperature, is low and would require further material and design optimization studies.