Fully-funded PhD - Advanced materials for green hydrogen generation by steam electrolysis produced by magnetron sputtering

Solid oxide electrolyser cells (SOECs) can be used to generate hydrogen via the steam electrolysis process. The state-of-the-art SOECs are normally composed of two porous ceramic or metal-ceramic electrodes separated by a dense oxygen ion-conducting ceramic electrolyte and are developed via screen printing or tape casting. The use of ceramic materials and operation at high temperatures provides favourable reaction kinetics and thermodynamics, but also results in inherent materials compatibility issues, which lead to thermal and mechanical stresses within the materials and accelerated degradation.

Therefore, there is significant interest in low-temperature SOECs, which experience reduced materials degradation; however, they suffer from lower efficiencies due to reduced ion conductivity through a ceramic electrolyte. Therefore, the project will focus on exploring an alternative magnetron sputtering route to depositing highly porous Ni/YSZ and Ni/GDC coatings with enhanced cell microstructure, which will allow reduction of the cell operation temperature without sacrificing the cell performance. 

The physiochemical characteristics of the coatings will be evaluated using FIB-SEM/EDS, XRD and nanoindentation/scratch test. Cell performance will be tested under steam electrolysis mode in the Manchester Fuel Cell Innovation Centre. The successful candidate will join a vibrant, growing doctoral community in the new £117M Dalton Building with cutting-edge facilities.

Project aims and objectives

This project aims to overcome the materials degradation problems while maintaining high reaction efficiencies in solid oxide cells.The research focuses onenhancing electrode performance by nanoengineering its microstructure using an advanced alternative method to prepare alloys of non-precious transition metals to mitigate Ni agglomeration and degradation. Magnetron sputtering has been proven to be a promising route to enhance cell microstructure, which will allow reduction of the cell operation temperature without sacrificing the cell performance. 

Therefore, this project focuses on technology development, and the main objectives are:

• To enhance mass transport through the cell by enhancing the microstructure. 
• To lower operating temperature to improve materials compatibility.
• To mitigate materials degradation under SOEC operating conditions.