Dr. Ho-Il Ji from the Hydrogen Energy Materials Research Center at the Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST, President Sang-Rok Oh), along with Professor Sihyuk Choi’s team from Kumoh National Institute of Technology, have made a groundbreaking advancement. They have developed a revolutionary synthesis method that dramatically reduces the sintering temperature required for the densification process of the electrolyte in next-generation high-efficiency protonic ceramic cells.
This innovation addresses the challenges faced by existing solid oxide cells (SOC) and paves the way for cost-effective, high-performance fuel cell and electrolysis operations.
In the realm of energy conversion devices, protonic ceramic cells (PCCs) have emerged as a revolutionary innovation, utilizing proton (hydrogen ion) transport instead of traditional oxygen ions. This groundbreaking technology enables significantly higher ionic conductivity, offering immense potential for fuel cells and electrolyzers.
However, the production of PCC electrolytes has faced a major hurdle due to the requirement for sintering at extremely high temperatures, leading to degradation of the ion-conducting properties.
In an exciting development, a research team has pioneered a new process for synthesizing electrolyte materials, aiming to overcome this challenge. By synthesizing a powder containing two different compounds through low-temperature synthesis, the team successfully lowered the sintering temperature to 1,400°C without the need for additives. This breakthrough not only addresses the issue of electrolyte degradation but also paves the way for the commercialization of PCCs as highly efficient and reliable energy conversion devices.
The revolutionary proton ceramic electrolyte produced through this innovative process creates a dense membrane even at lower temperatures, significantly enhancing the electrochemical properties of the cell. In real proton ceramic cells, this electrolyte has demonstrated exceptional proton conductance, achieving a remarkable power density of 950mW/cm² at 600°C—nearly double that of current cells on the market.
This breakthrough is poised to streamline processing time while simultaneously enhancing thermal stability and the overall performance of ceramic electrolytes.
The research team is eager to implement this cutting-edge process, harnessing accelerated sintering between the two compounds, to manufacture large-area cells and pave the way for the commercialization of proton ceramic cells.
“This research has resolved the chronic sintering issues in the production of proton ceramic cells. If large-area technology is successfully developed, it will enable efficient energy management through green hydrogen production via electrolysis and pink hydrogen production by utilizing waste heat from nuclear power plants,” said Dr. Ji of KIST.
Journal reference:
- Junseok Kim, Jiwon Yun, Wanjae Lee, Do-Hyeong Kim, Puspendu Guha, Jin-Ha Hwang, Deok-Hwang Kwon, Sungeun Yang, Jong-Ho Lee, Kyung Joong Yoon, Ji-Won Son, Sahn Nahm, Sihyuk Choi, Ho-Il Ji, Dual-Phase Reaction Sintering for Overcoming the Inherent Sintering Ability of Refractory Electrolytes in Protonic Ceramic Cells. Advanced Energy Materials, 2024; DOI: 10.1002/aenm.202400787