Influence of Nonstoichiometry on Proton Conductivity in Thin-Film Yttrium-Doped Barium Zirconate.

Proton-conducting perovskites have been widely studied because of their potential application as solid electrolytes in intermediate temperature solid oxide fuel cells. Structural and chemical heterogeneities can develop during synthesis, device fabrication, or service, which can profoundly affect proton transport. Here, we use time-resolved Kelvin probe force microscopy, scanning transmission electron microscopy, atom probe tomography, and density functional theory calculations to intentionally introduce Ba-deficient planar and spherical defects and link the resultant atomic structure with proton transport behavior in both stoichiometric and nonstoichiometric epitaxial, yttrium-doped barium zirconate thin films.

Effects of Microstructure on Electrochemical Reactivity and Conductivity in Nanostructured Ceria Thin Films.

The proton conductivity in functional oxides is crucial in determining electrochemistry and transport phenomena in a number of applications such as catalytic devices and fuel cells. However, single characterization techniques are usually limited in detecting the ionic dynamics at the full range of environmental conditions. In this report, we probe and uncover the links between the microstructure of nanostructured ceria (NC) and parameters that govern its electrochemical reaction and proton transport, by coupling experimental data obtained with time-resolved Kelvin probe force microscopy (tr-KPFM), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), and finite element analysis.

Precision controlled atomic resolution scanning transmission electron microscopy using spiral scan pathways.

Atomic-resolution imaging in an aberration-corrected scanning transmission electron microscope (STEM) can enable direct correlation between atomic structure and materials functionality. The fast and precise control of the STEM probe is, however, challenging because the true beam location deviates from the assigned location depending on the properties of the deflectors. To reduce these deviations, i.

Spatially Resolved Probing of Electrochemical Reactions via Energy Discovery Platforms.

The electrochemical reactivity of solid surfaces underpins functionality of a broad spectrum of materials and devices ranging from energy storage and conversion, to sensors and catalytic devices. The surface electrochemistry is, however, a complex process, controlled by the interplay of charge generation, field-controlled and diffusion-controlled transport. Here we explore the fundamental mechanisms of electrochemical reactivity on nanocrystalline ceria, using the synergy of nanofabricated devices and time-resolved Kelvin probe force microscopy (tr-KPFM), an approach we refer to as energy discovery platform.