中温固体氧化物燃料电池研制成功，有望大幅加快商业化进程

Core Insights - Solid Oxide Fuel Cells (SOFC) are gaining attention due to their high efficiency and long lifespan, but their high operating temperatures (700-800 degrees Celsius) require expensive high-temperature materials, limiting widespread application [1] - A research team from Kyushu University in Japan has developed a new type of SOFC that can operate efficiently at a medium temperature of 300 degrees Celsius, potentially accelerating the commercialization of low-cost, low-temperature SOFCs [1] Group 1 - SOFCs utilize ceramics as electrolytes, and lowering the operating temperature can reduce manufacturing and maintenance costs [1] - Previous research attempted to enhance proton transport speed through chemical doping, but this often led to lattice blockage, slowing proton movement [1] - The new study aims to find oxide crystals that can accommodate a large number of protons while allowing them to move freely [1] Group 2 - The research team discovered that high concentrations of scandium doped into barium tin oxide and barium titanate can achieve a proton conductivity of over 0.01 S/cm at 300 degrees Celsius, comparable to the performance of traditional SOFC electrolytes at high temperatures [1] - Structural analysis and molecular dynamics simulations show that scandium atoms connect surrounding oxygen atoms into "ScO6 high-speed channels," allowing protons to pass through with very low migration barriers [2] - The findings address the long-standing challenge of balancing doping levels with ionic transport efficiency, providing a new pathway for developing low-cost, low-temperature SOFCs [2] Group 3 - The principle discovered is not only applicable to fuel cells but can also be extended to low-temperature electrolyzers, hydrogen pumps, and reactors that convert carbon dioxide into valuable chemicals, potentially having a broader impact on hydrogen energy adoption and carbon reduction [2]