Highly active interfacial sites in <scp>SFT?SnO₂</scp> heterojunction electrolyte for enhanced fuel cell performance via engineered energy bands: Envisioned theoretically and experimentally

Extending the ionic conductivity is pre-requisite of electrolytes in fuel cell technology for high-electrochemical performance. In this regards, introduction semiconductor-oxide materials and approach heterostructure formation by modulating energy bands to enhance conduction acting as electrolyte cell-device are employed. Semiconductor (n-type; SnO2) plays key role introducing into p-type SrFe0.2Ti0.8O3-? (SFT) semiconductor perovskite construct p-n heterojunction high conductivity. Therefore, two different composites SFT SnO2 constructed gluing p- n-type SFT-SnO2, where optimal composition SFT-SnO2 (6:4) electrolyte-based achieved excellent 0.27 S/cm with power-output 1170 mW/cm2 OCV 1.09 V at low operational temperature 500 °C. The power-output, significant durable operation 300 h accredited including interfacial assisted built-in electric field device. Moreover, conversion efficiency considerable Faradaic reveals compatibility ruled-out short-circuiting issue. Further, first principle calculation provides sufficient information on structure optimization energy-band modulation SFT-SnO2. This strategy will provide new insight semiconductor-based design novel electrolytes.