Influence of carbon and yttrium co-doping on the photocatalytic activity of mixed phase TiO_2

Mixed phase TiO2photocatalysts doped with C and Y were synthesized by a sol‐gel process.The effects of C and Y doping and annealing temperatures on the structural and optical properties,and photocatalytic activity were investigated.We found that both C and Y doping can broaden the absorption spectrum of TiO2to the visible light region and inhibit recombination of photogenerated electron/hole pairs.The incorporation of Y into the TiO2lattice inhibited growth of crystalline grains,which increased the specific surface area and enhanced the photocatalytic activity.The photocatalytic performance of the samples was investigated in the photocatalytic degradation of methyl blue under visible light irradiation.The rate of methyl blue degradation over the(C,Y)‐co‐doped TiO2sample was much higher than those of undoped TiO2,C‐TiO2,and Y‐TiO2.Additionally,the apparent first‐order rate constant of the co‐doped sample was3.5times as large as that of undoped mix phase TiO2under the same experimental conditions.The enhanced photocatalytic activity can be attributed to the synergic effect of(C,Y)‐co‐doping and the formation of an appropriate crystalline structure.

Additive manufacturing of thin electrolyte layers via inkjet printing of highly-stable ceramic inks

Inkjet printing is a promising alternative for the fabrication of thin film components for solid oxide fuel cells(SOFCs) due to its contactless, mask free, and controllable printing process. In order to obtain satisfying electrolyte thin layer structures in anode-supported SOFCs, the preparation of suitable electrolyte ceramic inks is a key. At present, such a kind of 8 mol% Y_(2)O_(3)-stabilized ZrO_(2)(8 YSZ) electrolyte ceramic ink with long-term stability and high solid loading(> 15 wt%) seems rare for precise inkjet printing, and a number of characterization and performance aspects of the inks, such as homogeneity, viscosity, and printability, should be studied. In this study, 8 YSZ ceramic inks of varied compositions were developed for inkjet printing of SOFC ceramic electrolyte layers. The dispersing effect of two types of dispersants, i.e., polyacrylic acid ammonium(PAANH4) and polyacrylic acid(PAA), were compared. The results show that ultrasonic dispersion treatment can help effectively disperse the ceramic particles in the inks. PAANH4 has a better dispersion effect for the inks developed in this study. The inks show excellent printable performance in the actual printing process. The stability of the ink can be maintained for a storage period of over 30 days with the help of initial ultrasonic dispersion. Finally, micron-size thin 8 YSZ electrolyte films were successfully fabricated through inkjet printing and sintering, based on the as-developed high solid loading 8 YSZ inks(20 wt%). The films show fully dense and intact structural morphology and smooth interfacial bonding, offering an improved structural quality of electrolyte for enhanced SOFC performance.