Session Details

Session 3: Advances in Research ‎

Abstract Number:

57

This project will focus on a nationally important subject of enabling low-cost fabrication of ‎electrolyzers for production of hydrogen. We will use electroplating (electrodeposition) as a ‎low cost, room temperature method to fabricate fuel electrode for solid oxide electrolyzers.‎

Topics:

‎ Performance Solutions Impacting Today and Future

Increased use of hydrogen is projected to be one of the main ‎routes toward the goal of achieving ‎cleaner environment. One of ‎the most efficient methods to produce hydrogen is using ‎electrolyzers, ‎which are currently costly to produce. As such, only ‎‎~ 2% of the hydrogen currently is produced using ‎electrolyzers. ‎Similarly, hydrogen is the main fuel for fuel cells that are ‎considered for clean ‎transportation and distributed power ‎applications. New low-cost and scalable manufacturing ‎processes ‎that bring down the cost of electrolyzers are attractive. We are ‎exploring using ‎electrodeposition to fabricate cermets (metal-‎ceramic composites) for electrodes in solid oxide fuel ‎cells (SOFCs) ‎and solid oxide electrolysis cells (SOECs) (anode in SOFC and ‎cathode in SOEC). We are ‎exploring various electrodeposition ‎modes including pulsed current and direct current with different ‎‎parameters to infiltrate metals including Cu and Ni into porous ‎ceramic scaffolds. Currently, ‎fabrication of such electrodes is done ‎using casting, screen printing, spin coating, and impregnation. ‎‎However, these processes are not efficient, sometime require ‎multiple (at least 10 times) iterations ‎and high temperature ‎reduction (such as in the case of impregnation).‎