Application of SR Methods for the Study of Nanocomposite Materials for Hydrogen Energy

This work summarizes results of synchrotron radiation (SR) studies of the real/defect structure of nanocrystalline/nanocomposite oxide materials, which determines their functional properties in hydrogen energy field as catalysts and mixed ionic electronic conductors (cathodes and anodes of solid oxide fuel cells, oxygen separation membranes). For nanocrystalline ceria-zirconia mixed oxide prepared via modified Pechini route using ethanol solution of reagents, a high spatial uniformity of cations distribution between domains along with the oxygen sublattice deficiency revealed by full-profile Rietveld refinement of SR diffraction data provide structure disordering enhancing oxygen mobility. For PrNi0.5Co0.5O3–δ – Ce0.9Y0.1O2–δ nanocomposite extensive transfer of Pr cations into fluorite domains generates a new path of fast oxygen diffusion along chains of Pr3+ – Pr4+ cations as directly proved by analysis of the unit cell relaxation after changing pO2 in perfect agreement with data obtained by oxygen isotope heteroexchange.