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Preparation and Optimization of Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Electrode and Electrolyte Materials

A special issue of Materials (ISSN 1996-1944). This special issue belongs to the section "Energy Materials".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 September 2025 | Viewed by 1875

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
School of Science, Harbin Institute of Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China
Interests: computational mechanics; optimization; SOFC

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Solid Oxide Fuel Cells (SOFCs) represent one of the most efficient technologies for directly converting chemical energy into electrical energy. The performance, durability, and operational flexibility of SOFCs are critically dependent on the materials used, the macro and microstructure of SOFCs, and the methods employed in preparations. Therefore, advances in material and structure optimization and innovations in the preparation and manufacturing processes are vital to overcoming existing challenges in SOFC and enhancing overall efficiency.

This Special Issue, titled “Preparation and Optimization of Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Electrode and Electrolyte Materials”, highlights the latest research in optimizing SOFC materials, structure, and the innovative preparation techniques driving the field forward. We invite original research papers, reviews, and commentaries that explore advancements in the preparation and optimization of SOFCs, as well as the impact of these methods on the performance, lifetime, and cost of SOFCs.

Submissions are encouraged in, but not limited to, the following areas of SOFC:

  • Optimization of SOFC preparation method;
  • Nanostructure optimization of electrodes;
  • Development of high-conductivity electrolytes;
  • Electro-catalysis;
  • Design and integration of metallic interconnects and support structures;
  • Single-cell and stack configurations;
  • Innovations in internal fuel processing materials and technologies;
  • Single-cell and stack demonstration;
  • Multi-scale modeling of SOFCs;
  • Life cycle assessment and thermoeconomic analysis.

We look forward to your contributions, which will collectively push the boundaries of SOFC science and technology.

Dr. Yexin Zhou
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • solid oxide fuel cell (SOFCs) SOFC preparation method
  • SOFC structure optimization
  • SOFC material optimization
  • solid-state electrolyte
  • nano-structured electrode
  • life cycle analysis (LCA)

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

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14 pages, 4887 KiB  
Article
High-Temperature Mechanical–Conductive Behaviors of Proton-Conducting Ceramic Electrolytes in Solid Oxide Fuel Cells
by Shimeng Kang, Penghui Yao, Zehua Pan, Yuhang Jing, Siyu Liu, Yexin Zhou, Jingyi Wang, Yan Gao, Yi Sun, Yongdan Li and Zheng Zhong
Materials 2024, 17(19), 4689; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma17194689 - 24 Sep 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1228
Abstract
Proton-conducting solid oxide fuel cells (P-SOFCs) are widely studied for their lower working temperatures than oxygen-ion-conducting SOFCs (O-SOFCs). Due to the elevated preparation and operation temperatures varying from 500 °C to 1500 °C, high mechanical stresses can be developed in the electrolytes of [...] Read more.
Proton-conducting solid oxide fuel cells (P-SOFCs) are widely studied for their lower working temperatures than oxygen-ion-conducting SOFCs (O-SOFCs). Due to the elevated preparation and operation temperatures varying from 500 °C to 1500 °C, high mechanical stresses can be developed in the electrolytes of SOFCs. The stresses will in turn impact the electrical conductivities, which is often omitted in current studies. In this work, the mechanical–conductive behaviors of Y-doped BaZrO3 (BZY) electrolytes for P-SOFCs under high temperatures are studied through molecular dynamics modeling. The Young’s moduli of BZY in fully hydrated and non-hydrated states are calculated with different Y-doping concentrations and at different temperatures. It is shown that Y doping, oxygen vacancies, and protonic point defects all lead to a decrease in the Young’s moduli of BZY at 773 K. The variations in the conductivities of BZY are then investigated by calculating the diffusion rates of protons in BZY at different triaxial, biaxial, and uniaxial strains from 673 K to 873 K. In all cases, the diffusion rate present a trend of first increasing and then decreasing from compression state to tension state. The variations in elementary affecting factors of proton diffusion, including hydroxide rotation, proton transfer, proton trapping, and proton distribution, are then analyzed in detail under different strains. It is concluded that the influences of strains on these factors collectively determine the changes in proton conductivity. Full article
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Review

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37 pages, 4553 KiB  
Review
Advances in Nanostructured Electrodes for Solid Oxide Cells by Infiltration or Exsolution
by Mingyue Dai, Futao Li, Shujuan Fang, Dedong He, Jichang Lu, Yu Zhang, Xiaohua Cao, Jiangping Liu, Dingkai Chen and Yongming Luo
Materials 2025, 18(8), 1802; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma18081802 - 15 Apr 2025
Viewed by 371
Abstract
Solid oxide cells (SOCs) are highly efficient and versatile devices capable of utilizing a variety of fuels, presenting promising solutions for energy conversion and renewable resource utilization. There is an urgent need for the strategic design of robust and high-efficiency materials to enhance [...] Read more.
Solid oxide cells (SOCs) are highly efficient and versatile devices capable of utilizing a variety of fuels, presenting promising solutions for energy conversion and renewable resource utilization. There is an urgent need for the strategic design of robust and high-efficiency materials to enhance both conversion and energy efficiencies before SOCs can be applied for large-scale industrial production. Nanocomposite electrodes, especially those fabricated through infiltration and metal nanoparticle exsolution, have emerged as highly active electrocatalytic materials that significantly improve the performance and durability of SOCs. This review systematically summarizes and analyzes recent advances in the nanoscale architecture of electrode materials fabricated via common nanoengineering strategies, including infiltration and in situ exsolution, with applications in CO2/H2O reduction, hydrocarbon electrochemical oxidation, solid oxide fuel cells, and reversible operation. Finally, this review highlights existing bottlenecks and promising breakthroughs in common nanotechnologies, aiming to provide useful references for the rational design of nanomaterials for SOCs. Full article
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