UK researchers claim to have resolved the debate over how fuel cell materials conduct ions.

Researchers, led by Peter Slater at the University of Surrey, used solid state ²⁹Si NMR to investigate the way in which some silicate materials conduct ions. Silicates are being studied as potential electrolytes for solid oxide fuel cells.  

'There has been considerable debate over the mechanism of oxide ion conduction in apatite rare earth silicates,' said Slater. 'Our previous computational studies suggested that oxide ion conduction proceeded via interstitial oxide ion sites,' he said.

The team found differences between the ²⁹Si NMR spectra of materials with good conductivity and those with poor conductivity, which they say confirms the mechanism they had predicted.

Slater said 'the work suggests that ²⁹Si NMR could potentially be used to screen apatite silicate materials for oxide ion conductivity.' He predicted that the findings also will aid other areas of research by increasing the understanding of the complex nature of the silicate structure. 

Rebecca Lavender