Electrolysis technologies suffer from limitations in terms of cost, efficiency, stability, scalability, and recyclability. This is mainly due to the lack of understanding and identification of electrolyzer degradation mechanisms. ELECTROLIFE aims to increase the efficiency performance of electrolyzers and extending the useful life of these systems. This grand goal will be achieved through dedicated test campaigns combined with multiphysics simulations of superimposed degradation mechanisms, prototyping of cells and stack components, as well as construction of dedicated test benches. In addition to standardized test protocols, diagnostic and stack health models will be developed to reduce the degradation rate, enabling the implementation of predictive control systems. ELECTROLIFE will demonstrate the implementation of durable stacks and will be a booster of the green hydrogen technologies use to support decarbonization of European global industry.

https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/101137802

As a major contributor to the global CO₂ emissions, the commodity chemical industry should be urgently coupled with renewable electricity to become independent from fossil fuel resources. As a EIC Pathfinder project, ECOLEFINS aims at establishing a new, all-electric paradigm for the electro-conversion of CO₂ and H₂O to light olefins- the key-intermediates for polymers, and other daily life chemical products. The project will introduce ceramic electrochemical devices while putting forward cutting-edge nanotechnology and engineering for the development of efficient electrodes and short-stacks in order to deliver RES-powered artificial photosynthesis of CO₂ to valuable chemicals.

https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/101099717

Here is the official website of the ECOLEFINS project http://ecolefinsproject.eu/

The project Machine learning for solid oxide cells deals with the application of machine learning to the process of tape casting, which is one of the main manufacturing processes for solid oxide fuel and electrolyzer cells. However, gas separation membranes and solid-state batteries are also manufactured in part using this process. By means of tape casting, ceramic or metallic slurries, consisting of the respective powders, organic or aqueous solvents and organic stabilizing additives, can be cast into two-dimensionally extended thin layers. Layer thicknesses vary from a few micrometers to about 2mm and microstructures range from dense to porous after sintering. Through the ML4SOC project, ML methodologies will be applied to ceramic tape casting for the first time. The project will be performed in a closed cooperation with the U Picardie in France, which takes care of the ML together with the IEK-1, the prototyping company KMS Technology Center from Dresden, which develops and builds tape casting benches. At IEK-1, tape casting has been used as a ceramotechnical method for 25 years, and in this project ML is to be used to improve the tape casting process, which has functioned by trial-and-error until now. The substrate of a fuel gas electrode-supported solid oxide cell was selected as the first hands-on component.

The NOUVEAU project, funded by the European Commission, involves a wide range of partners from industry and (non-)university research institutions on an inter-European level for a sustainable design of solid oxide cells (SOCs). The aim is to be able to develop new cells and stacks with significant savings in the use of rare earth elements, precious metals and chromium by applying modern coating technologies and modeling as well as more sustainable design and recycling strategies. Within the contribution of Forschungszentrum Jülich, the focus is on replacing previously used high-chromium stainless steels for use as interconnects by low-cost conventional steels with reduced chromium content made possible by the application of a suitable coating. The characterization of the resulting composites as well as the investigation of their resistance to corrosion and chromium evaporation is carried out in close cooperation between IEK-1 and IEK-2.

In the joint project ElChFest, we work together with our partners in Karlsruhe to develop a solid oxide electrolysis cell (SOEC) based on doped ceria, and optimize the cell as well as the operational parameters. Material-, microstructural and electrochemical investigations will be combined in order to establish a model that allows the calculation of mechanical stresses as a function of the operation point.

The joint project ReNaRe is part of the technology platform H2Giga. The project is investigating the possibilities of recycling of solid oxide electrolyzer stacks. The focus is on either reuse, remanufacturing or recycling of components. Depending on the stack concept and/or recycling concept, materials or components can be reused directly or have to be reprocessed in a complex way. The focus of IEK-1 is the reuse of the ceramic components of the cell either again in SOCs or in alternative applications.

https://www.wasserstoff-leitprojekte.de/leitprojekte/h2giga

Also based on the Hydrogen Republic of Germany initiative, the BMBF-funded project focuses on specific degradation effects that only occur under electrolysis mode. At IEK-1, alternative fuel gas electrodes are being developed for this purpose and marketable manufacturing processes are being advanced. Broad participation of other German industrial partners (Kerafol, Hexis/mPower, Sunfire, Mann+Hummel, Bosch, Horiba FuelCon, SOLIDpower) as well as external research institutions (IKTS, DLR, KIT) and Jülich institutes (IEK-2, -9, -13, -14) ensures a broad approach to understanding and solving the effects that occur.

https://www.wasserstoff-leitprojekte.de/grundlagenforschung/brennstoffzellen

Funded by the BMBF as part of the Hydrogen Republic of Germany initiative, the project is working on the specific degradation phenomena of a so-called metal-supported solid oxide fuel cell (MSC) for the reconversion of hydrogen generated via renewable sources. Under the leadership of Bosch and together with the company RJL and the research partners KIT, HS Aalen and HS Karlsruhe, the institutes IEK-1, -2 and -14 are specifically working on the thermal-atmospheric degradation phenomena (material-specific, microstructure-dependent and thermodynamic/kinetic) and the further development of the MSC

https://www.wasserstoff-leitprojekte.de/grundlagenforschung/brennstoffzellen

The energy transition is one of the most important future projects of our time, in which the generation and use of renewable and sustainable energy is an important driving force for a decarbonized economy. In this context, hydrogen - and especially the so-called "green" hydrogen from renewable energies - plays a crucial role as a "game changer" in the entire energy system. The innovation pool project "Solar hydrogen: highly pure and compressed" aims to improve both the scientific knowledge and the technological maturity of various viable technologies for the conversion of solar energy into hydrogen (H2). As part of this project, a proton-conducting electrolysis cell is to be developed at IEK-1 to obtain hydrogen that is highly pure and water-free. The energy required for the cell operation will origin from solar sources.

https://energy.helmholtz.de/en/translate-to-englisch-forschungshighlights/translate-to-englisch-solarer-wasserstoff/

The coupling of a biomass gasifier with a solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) to produce electricity from biomass is being studied within the framework of a joint project of Forschungszentrum Jülich and TU München, funded by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG). The objective of this dissertation is the development of new material combination for the fuel electrode with an improved tolerance against contaminants in the fuel gas. The material systems under investigation include cermets based on Nickel and Gadolinium-doped ceria (GDC) as well as innovative ceramic materials that exsolve nano-scaled catalyst particles during operation. The materials and components developed at IEK-1 will be tested at TU München using synthetic Syngas with controlled amounts of contaminants, in order to investigate the interaction of each molecule with the material.