Researchers at the Korea Institute of Energy Research (KIER) developed a wholly new concept induced electrode catalyst, resulting in high performance and excellent durability of r-SOCs (reversible solid oxide cells).

  As we know, a fuel cell is to produce electricity and water by combining hydrogen and oxygen among the air, while electrolysis is to produce hydrogen and oxygen through water electrolysis. r-SOCs is to perform the two-way function mentioned above at the same time. For example, r-SOCs store electricity generated from renewables as hydrogen and generate electricity from the stored hydrogen in demand. That’s why r-SOCs are perceived as a futuristic solution to energy storage and conversion issue.

  Likewise r-SOCs acknowledged as an excellent technology in energy production and storage, still technological limits shadow SOCs marketability. Those limits mainly come from delamination and electrode degradation caused by oxygen evolution within the closed pores. KIER researchers developed a nano-structured electrode catalyst to emit oxygen produced in open pore while preventing oxygen from being evolved in closed pore in electrolysis. This new concept of electrode catalyst is proved to remarkably enhance stability and ensure high-performance of r-SOCs.

  Dr. Seung-Bok Lee leading the researchers ensures that the ultrasonic spraying infiltration technique, they developed, is used to build nanolayered LSC air electrode, showing superior reversible performance in r-SOCs This study was recently published on-line in Applied Catalysis B: Environmental and is going to be off-line on the 15th of September, 2023.