Adequate oxidation resistance in both oxidizing and reducing environments;

1. CAREER: Novel Conductive Oxide Coatings on Metallic Interconnect for Intermediate-Temperature SOFC ApplicationJiahong H. Zhu, Tennessee Technological University, DMR 0238113 800C x 500h, moist air, velocity of 1.1 cm/s Solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) promises high efficiency, low pollution, fuel flexibility, and potential electricity/heat cogeneration. With the use of metallic interconnect, the cost of SOFC has been reduced significantly. However, the current state-of-the-art metallic interconnect alloys are Cr-forming alloys (e.g. Crofer), which has the Cr volatility and poisoning problem. A new low-Cr Fe-Co-Ni alloy system has been identified that overcomes the major drawbacks of the chromia-forming alloys: Crofer Fe-Ni-Co Alloy Cr transport rate for the newly developed Fe-Ni-Co alloy is much lower than that for the state-of-the-art alloy Crofer. Configuration: Alloy//LSM/YSZ /Ni+YSZ Test Condition: 800ºC at 0.7V • Adequate oxidation resistance in both oxidizing and reducing environments; • Low oxide scale electrical resistance; • Much reduced Cr transport rate from the alloy due to the formation of a Cr-blocking spinel surface layer. Pre-oxidation to form the Cr-blocking spinel layer on the Fe-Ni-Co alloy improved the cell stability significantly

2. First-Prize Winners from Cookeville High School, for a fuel cell constructed at the camp CAREER: Novel Conductive Oxide Coatings on Metallic Interconnect for Intermediate-Temperature SOFC ApplicationJiahong H. Zhu, Tennessee Technological University, DMR 0238113 • Education and Outreach: • The PI has organized a three-day Fuel Cells and Advanced MaterialsCamp for local high school students and their science teachers four times. Camp activities included lectures and demonstrations on SOFC and PEM fuel cell; hands-on construction and testing of fuel cells; tour of ORNL, etc. • The PI and his students have been involved in outreach efforts for over two hundred 5th through 8th grade girls from the Upper Cumberland Region through activities such as “Engineering a Future” in collaboration with the Society of Women Engineers the Girl Scouts of Americas and “Children’s Discovery Day” in collaboration with the Steering Committee of the Cookeville Children’s Museum. • Two REU students hired on this project were attracted to conduct advanced engineering research and got their M. Sc. Degrees recently. Camp attendees visiting the Center for Nano-phase Material Sciences, ORNL