Governing principles of hydration of mixed proton conducting Co-based double perovskites
Journal article, 2026
Proton ceramic electrochemical cells PCECs hold promise for efficient, sustainable production and use of hydrogen. The positive electrodes are mixed proton conducting perovskites that facilitate water splitting and oxygen reduction, but the factors that determine the protonation are poorly understood. Here, we establish the governing principles of protonation through a study of hydration of 45 double perovskites with the general formula AIAIICo2O6-d, having Ba or Ba+Sr on AI and a mix of rare earths (Y and lanthanides Ln = La, Pr, Nd, Sm, Gd, Dy, Tb, Lu) on AII. We show how hydration is coupled to the A-site basicity and disorder as well as population of electron holes in the Co-O bond (Co oxidation state), promoted by a closed or semi-closed Ln 4 f shell, i.e., Ln = La, Gd, Lu.
Author
Ragnar Strandbakke
SINTEF Oslo
Sebastian Lech Wachowski
Gdansk University of Technology
Maria Balaguer
Instituto de Tecnología Química
Lasse Vines
University of Oslo
Thomas Neset Sky
University of Oslo
Iga Szpunar
Chalmers, Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Energy and Material
Patricia Carvalho
SINTEF Oslo
Aleksandra Mielewczyk-Gryn
Gdansk University of Technology
Magnus Sørby
Institute for Energy Technology
Maria Gazda
Gdansk University of Technology
Jose Serra
Instituto de Tecnología Química
Truls Norby
Nature Communications
2041-1723 (ISSN) 20411723 (eISSN)
Subject Categories (SSIF 2025)
Inorganic Chemistry
DOI
10.1038/s41467-026-70212-w