Solid Oxide Fuel and Electrolysis Cells (SOFC/SOEC) - (1)

Solid Oxide Fuel and Electrolysis Cells (SOCs) are technologies called to bring solutions to some of the more demanding energetically challenges of our era. With the capability to work very electrically efficient as both fuel cells and electrolysers using the same platform, i.e. same cells and interconnect materials, these devices offer a lot of hopes.

Three main types of SOCs can be found depending on where the ceramic cell is mechanically supported: fuel electrode, electrolyte and metal supported. This leads to different operation temperatures: from as low as 550 °C in metal supported cells to up tp as high as 850 °C in electrolyte supported cells. Every type brings their own advantages and disadvantages related to material performance as well as material stabilization at the different temperatures.

Therefore, material choice in the cells also changes in function of these types. As the electrodes could be shared with the three types of cells, electrolyte compositions are quite dependent of the different ceramic cell types. The optimization of both composition and microstructure materials forming both electrolyte and electrodes are some of the largest challenges that SOC industry faces these days. Finally, the scalability of these optimized compositions and microstructures together with the right choice of coatings in the use of stainless-steel interconnects opens room for many exciting and high impact R&D projects in the coming years.

.