Research Projects

Power to gas (P2G) technology offers a green alternative for producing hydrogen, providing the largest amount of energy per unit weight without emitting pollutants and greenhouse gases. High temperature water electrolysis using a solid oxide electrolysis cell (sOEC) is a viable method for generating carbon-free hydrogen from water. However, the degradation of electrodes is a critical issue in the technology, with the agglomeration or particle segregation of Ni in the Ni-YsZ fuel electrode playing a major contribution. To address this issue, two promising strategies are proposed: nanoparticle impregnated electrode and cathode interlayer. The proposed electrode architecture combines catalyst nanoparticle impregnation and interlayer to improve overall electrolysis performance. A double-layered anode support consists of Ni-Co nanoparticles catalyst incorporated Ni-8% yttria stabilized zirconia (Ni-YsZ) cermet, a dense Yttria stabilized zirconia electrolyte film, and a 20 mol% samaria doped ceria Ce0.8sm0.2O1.90 buffer layer/inter layer on the electrolyte layer. A new cathode double perovskite cathode composition La0.6Ca0.4MyTi1-yO3-δ will be synthesized as fuel electrode material. Asymmetric solid oxide electrolysis cells (sOEC) with an active surface area of 2 × 2 cm2 cells are fabricated using optimized cathode composition on the buffer layer. structural properties, surface and cross-sectional morphology of the anode support, electrolyte layer, and compositional behavior are studied using X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, and field emission scanning electron microscopy. A post-mortem of the microstructural and electrochemical performance of direct steam electrolysis of the cells is also conducted using field emission scanning electron microscopy (FEsEM) and poteniostat/galvanostat electrochemical impedance analyzer.