Coupling cation migration with segregation for versatile air electrode in proton-conducting ceramic cells.
basic_science · Level V
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- Record sourced from PubMed, PMID 42082494.
- Also identified by DOI 10.1038/s41467-026-72536-z.
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Abstract
Proton conducting ceramic cells enable efficient electrocatalytic H<sub>2</sub>-to-power conversion, yet their perovskite air electrodes demand versatile properties: high bulk proton uptake/conductivity, fast surface oxygen kinetics, and operational stability. Conventional single-phase perovskites usually fail to meet these demands simultaneously. Here, we show a facile strategy that couples bulk cation migration with surface segregation to enhance the versatility of the air electrode. The as-prepared (Ba<sub>0.9</sub>Ce<sub>0.1-α</sub>)(Ce<sub>α</sub>Fe<sub>0.8</sub>Ni<sub>0.2-β</sub>)O<sub>3-δ</sub>-βNiO (cm-BCFN@NiO) electrode features a coupled bulk-surface architecture where finely dispersed NiO nanoparticles and Ce migration from A-sites to B-sites synergistically optimize surface oxygen kinetics, bulk proton uptake/conductivity, and electronic transport. The optimized electrode exhibits a low area-specific resistance of 0.3 Ω cm<sup>2</sup> at 550 °C-a 75% reduction compared to the NiO-free counterpart-enabling a 77.1% increase in maximum power density and over 1200 hours of stable single-cell operation. Beyond protonic ceramic cells, this work presents an approach for designing perovskites by leveraging cation migration and surface segregation at the atomic scale, opening more opportunities for a wide range of electrocatalytic applications.