Reversible solid oxide cells: Early performance and microstructural evolution during electrolysis and switched mode operation

Akter, Ayesha; Mulligan, Jillian R.; Grande, Hector; Pal, Uday; Basu, Soumendra N.; Gopalan, Srikanth

doi:10.1016/j.jpowsour.2023.233093

Reversible solid oxide cells: Early performance and microstructural evolution during electrolysis and switched mode operation

Journal Article · Thu Apr 27 00:00:00 EDT 2023 · Journal of Power Sources

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpowsour.2023.233093· OSTI ID:2418244

^[1]; ^[2]; Grande, Hector ^[2]; ^[2]; ^[2]; ^[2]

Boston Univ., MA (United States); OSTI
Boston Univ., MA (United States)

Incorporating more renewables into our energy mix will require a diversity of technological solutions. Reversible solid oxide cell systems (RSOCs) operating reversibly between fuel cell and electrolysis modes with high round-trip efficiencies offer one such solution. However, questions remain about the stability of the oxygen and fuel electrodes under reversible operation. Here, in this study, single cells with the configuration Ni-YSZ|YSZ|GDC10|NNO-NDC50|NNO are operated by reversible cycling under potentiostatic conditions. Test conditions are chosen to be representative of average stack conditions that are likely to be encountered during operation of a stack constructed of such cells. The results of reversible cycling over 500 h (21 cycles) are compared with operating the cells under potentiostatic conditions in the electrolysis-only mode (i.e., without cycling). Voltage-current density (DC), AC complex impedance spectroscopy, distribution of relaxation times (DRT) analysis, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) indicate excellent reversibility and stability of the neodymium nickelate-based oxygen electrodes in both electrolysis and reversible cycling modes. Degradation behavior is attributed to the loss and coarsening of connected Ni particles in the fuel electrode, particularly in the active layer. However, reversible operation mitigates this degradation compared to operation in the electrolysis-only (SOEC-only) mode.

View Accepted Manuscript (DOE)

Research Organization:: Saint-Gobain Ceramics & Plastics, Inc., Malvern, PA (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE Office of Fossil Energy (FE)

Grant/Contract Number:: FE0031972

OSTI ID:: 2418244

Journal Information:: Journal of Power Sources, Journal Name: Journal of Power Sources Vol. 572; ISSN 0378-7753

Publisher:: ElsevierCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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