Advanced Materials and Enhanced Performance of Solid Oxide Fuel Cells/Electrolyzers

Dear Colleagues,

Solid oxide fuel cells/electrolyzers (SOFCs/SOEs) offer efficient electric and thermal energies as well as hydrogen production for residential or industrial users. Solid oxide cells (SOCs) consist of a solid-state proton and/or anion conductive electrolyte sandwiched between two porous, electronically conductive, and catalytically active electrodes. The solid electrolyte ensures the conduction of protonic or anionic charge carriers between the electrodes, and it is electronically insulating. Each of the electrodes comprises a catalyst layer (CL), where the electrocatalysts and/or high temperature promote charge transfer kinetics. 

An SOC is encased by gas manifold bipolar plates (BPPs) on each side, which direct and distribute gases in flow channels and connect the positive electrode electronically to the negative electrode of the adjacent cell in the case of an SOC stack. When an SOC is operated in fuel cell mode (SOFC), hydrogen or a mixture of syngas or methane or biogas and steam is supplied to the negative electrode, where it oxidizes mainly to steam, carbon dioxide, and electrons. 

At the positive electrode oxygen produces anions, which migrate to the negative electrode through the electrolyte or the protons migrate to the positive electrode through the electrolyte and react with oxygen to produce steam, while the electrons travel through the external circuit and deliver electrical work.

In an SOC that operates in electrolyzer mode (SOEC), the current and all the processes are reversed. An SOEC fed by steam and/or carbon dioxide and electric energy produces hydrogen and/or carbon monoxide. 

Moreover, a reversible SOC (rSOC) can work alternately in fuel cell mode and in electrolyzer mode.

This Special Issue will focus on the collection of the latest developments in solid oxide materials and components of an SOFC, SOE, and rSOC, including all recent approaches used to enhance their performance and lifetime, as well as in their technological applications.

Dr. Giuseppe De Lorenzo
Dr. Massimiliano Lo Faro
Guest Editors

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• solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC)
• solid oxide electrolyzer (SOE)
• reversible solid oxide cell (rSOC)
• SOFC applications
• SOE applications
• rSOC applications