@article {1136, title = {Comprehensive Evaluation for Protective Coatings: Optical, Electrical, Photoelectrochemical, and Spectroscopic Characterizations}, journal = {Frontiers in Energy Research}, volume = {9}, year = {2022}, month = {2022}, abstract = {Numerous efficient semiconductors suffer from instability in aqueous electrolytes. Strategies utilizing protective coatings have thus been developed to protect these photoabsorbers against corrosion while synergistically improving charge separation and reaction kinetics. Recently, various photoelectrochemical (PEC) protective coatings have been reported with suitable electronic properties to ensure low charge transport loss and reveal the fundamental photoabsorber efficiency. However, protocols for studying the critical figures of merit for protective coatings have yet to be established. For this reason, we propose four criteria for evaluating the performance of a protective coating for PEC water-splitting: stability, conductivity, optical transparency, and energetic matching. We then propose a flow chart that summarizes the recommended testing protocols for quantifying these four performance metrics. In particular, we lay out the stepwise testing protocols to evaluate the energetics matching at a semiconductor/coating/(catalyst)/liquid interface. Finally, we provide an outlook for the future benchmarking needs for coatings.}, keywords = {coating, energetics, performance evaluation, performance metrics, spectroscopy}, issn = {2296-598X}, doi = {10.3389/fenrg.2021.799776}, url = {https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fenrg.2021.799776}, author = {Shen, Xin and Yanagi, Rito and Solanki, Devan and Su, Haoqing and Li, Zhaohan and Xiang, Cheng-Xiang and Hu, Shu} } @article {1137, title = {Considerations for the Accurate Measurement of Incident Photon to Current Efficiency in Photoelectrochemical Cells}, journal = {Frontiers in Energy Research}, volume = {9}, year = {2022}, month = {2022}, abstract = {In this paper we review some of the considerations and potential sources of error when conducting Incident Photon to Current Efficiency (IPCE) measurements, with focus on photoelectrochemical (PEC) cells for water splitting. The PEC aspect introduces challenges for accurate measurements often not encountered in dry PV cells. These can include slow charge transfer dynamics and, depending on conditions (such as a white light bias, which is important for samples with non-linear response to light intensity), possible composition changes, mostly at the surface, that a sample may gradually undergo as a result of chemical interactions with the aqueous electrolyte. These can introduce often-overlooked dependencies related to the timing of the measurement, such as a slower measurement requirement in the case of slow charge transfer dynamics, to accurately capture the steady-state response of the system. Fluctuations of the probe beam can be particularly acute when a Xe lamp with monochromator is used, and longer scanning times also allow for appreciable changes in the sample environment, especially when the sample is under realistically strong white light bias. The IPCE measurement system and procedure need to be capable of providing accurate measurements under specific conditions, according to sample and operating requirements. To illustrate these issues, complications, and solution options, we present example measurements of hematite photoanodes, leading to the use of a motorized rotating mirror stage to solve the inherent fluctuation and drift-related problems. For an example of potential pitfalls in IPCE measurements of metastable samples, we present measurements of BiVO4 photoanodes, which had changing IPCE spectral shapes under white-light bias.}, keywords = {device characterisation, EQE, IPCE, measurement technique, photoelectrochemical}, issn = {2296-598X}, doi = {10.3389/fenrg.2021.726069}, url = {https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fenrg.2021.726069}, author = {Ellis, David S. and Piekner, Yifat and Grave, Daniel A. and Schnell, Patrick and Rothschild, Avner} } @article {1139, title = {Electrode optimization for efficient hydrogen production using an SO2-depolarized electrolysis cell}, journal = {International Journal of Hydrogen Energy}, volume = {47}, year = {2022}, pages = {14180-14185}, abstract = {The hybrid sulfur (HyS) cycle offers an alternative route to hydrogen and sulfuric acid production using the SO2-depolarized electrolysis (SDE) cell. This work reports the most efficient SDE operation to date at high sulfuric acid concentrations (\~{}60~wt\%) achieved through the optimization of operating conditions and cell components. We observed that open porosity in the porous transport media (PTM) plays a significant role in SDE performance as it enables efficient acid removal from the catalyst layer. The combination of membrane electrode assembly (MEA) components, such as Sulfonated Diels Alder Poly (phenylene) (SDAPP) membranes and electrodes prepared using SGL 29BC PTM, and operating conditions (103.4 kPagauge at 125~{\textdegree}C) yielded electrolysis potentials <700~mV at 500~mA/cm2 and acid concentrations >60~wt\%.}, keywords = {Catalysis, electrolysis, High pressure, Hybrid sulfur cycle, Hydrogen generation, Sulfur dioxide}, issn = {0360-3199}, doi = {https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhydene.2022.02.166}, url = {https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0360319922007807}, author = {H{\'e}ctor R. Col{\'o}n-Mercado and Scott A. Mauger and Maximilian B. Gorensek and Cy H. Fujimoto and Aaron A. Lando and Prabhu Ganesan and Benjamin H. Meekins and Noah D. Meeks} } @article {1142, title = {Intermediate Temperature Solid Oxide Cell with a Barrier Layer Free Oxygen Electrode and Phase Inversion Derived Hydrogen Electrode}, journal = {Journal of the Electrochemical Society}, volume = {169}, year = {2022}, month = {3}, keywords = {area specific resistance, cathode, electrical conductivity, intermediate temperature-operating solid oxide fuel cell, layered perovskite}, doi = {10.1149/1945-7111/ac565a}, author = {Zhang, Yongliang and Xu, Nansheng and Tang, Qiming and Huang, Kevin} } @article {1143, title = {Mechanistic understanding of pH effects on the oxygen evolution reaction}, journal = {Electrochimica Acta}, volume = {405}, year = {2022}, pages = {139810}, abstract = {The oxygen-evolution reaction (OER) is pivotal in many energy-conversion technologies as it is an important counter reaction to others that convert stable chemicals to higher-value products using electrochemistry. The local microenvironment and pH for the anode OER can vary from acidic to neutral to alkaline depending on the system being explored, making definitive mechanistic insights difficult. In this paper, we couple experiments, first-principles calculations based on density functional theory, microkinetics, and transport modeling to explore the entire pH range of the OER. At low current densities, neutral pH values unexpectedly perform better than the acidic and alkaline conditions, and this trend is reversed at higher current densities (> 20~mA cm-2). Using multiscale modeling, this switch is rationalized by a change from a dual-reaction mechanism to a single rate-determining step. The model also shows how the alkaline reaction rates dominate in the middle to high pH range. Furthermore, we explore that the local pH for near-neutral conditions is much different (e.g., 2.4 at the reaction surface vs. 9 in the bulk) than the pH extremes, demonstrating the criticality that transport phenomena plays in kinetic activity.}, keywords = {Electrochemistry, Microkinetics, Oxygen evolution reaction}, issn = {0013-4686}, doi = {https://doi.org/10.1016/j.electacta.2021.139810}, url = {https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0013468621020934}, author = {Julie C. Fornaciari and Lien-Chun Weng and Shaun M. Alia and Cheng Zhan and Tuan Anh Pham and Alexis T. Bell and Tadashi Ogitsu and Nemanja Danilovic and Adam Z. Weber} } @article {1148, title = {Revitalizing interface in protonic ceramic cells by acid etch}, journal = {Nature}, volume = {604}, year = {2022}, month = {04}, pages = {479-485}, keywords = {acid treatment, ceramic fuel-cell, electrolysis, high-temperature annealed electrolyte surface, proton conductivity, Protonic ceramic electrochemical cells}, doi = {10.1038/s41586-022-04457-y}, author = {Bian, Wenjuan and Wu, Wei and Wang, Baoming and Tang, Wei and Zhou, Meng and Jin, Congrui and Ding, Hanping and Fan, Weiwei and Dong, Yanhao and Li, Ju and Ding, Dong} } @article {1153, title = {Chalkboard 2 - How to Make Clean Hydrogen}, journal = {The Electrochemical Society Interface}, volume = {30}, year = {2021}, month = {dec}, pages = {49{\textendash}56}, abstract = {Clean hydrogen is a carbon-free energy carrier that can be produced from water and sustainable energy sources such as wind, solar, and nuclear. Hence, clean hydrogen is one of the best ways to not only decarbonize the energy supply system, but also address the zero-emission challenges specific to large-carbon emitting industries that are difficult to separate from fossil fuels. To help achieve the Biden Administration{\textquoteright}s goal of a 100\% clean energy economy and net-zero emissions by 2050, several tens of millions of metric tons of clean, low-cost hydrogen will be needed annually. The HydroGEN Advanced Water Splitting Materials (AWSM) Consortium was established in 2016 as part of the Energy Materials Network (EMN) under the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technologies Office to enhance the performance, improve the durability, and reduce the cost of clean hydrogen production technologies, and it is helping to advance the H2@Scale vision.}, keywords = {Clean hydrogen, decarbonization, energy supply system, hydrogen, zero-emission challenges}, doi = {10.1149/2.f13214if}, url = {https://doi.org/10.1149/2.f13214if}, author = {Shaun Alia and Dong Ding and Anthony McDaniel and Francesca M. Toma and Huyen N. Dinh} } @article {1151, title = {A comprehensive modeling method for proton exchange membrane electrolyzer development}, journal = {International Journal of Hydrogen Energy}, volume = {46}, year = {2021}, note = {Special issue on the 2nd International Symposium on Hydrogen Energy and Energy Technologies (HEET 2019)}, pages = {17627-17643}, abstract = {Hydrogen attracts significant interests as an effective energy carrier that can be derived from renewable sources. Hydrogen production using a proton-exchange membrane (PEM) electrolyzer can efficiently convert renewable power via water splitting in wide scales{\textemdash}from large, centralized generation to on-site production. Mathematical models with multiple scales and fidelities facilitate the continuing improvements of PEM electrolyzer development to improve performance, cost, and reliability. The model scopes and methods are presented in this paper, which also introduces a comprehensive PEM electrolysis modeling tool based on computational fluid dynamics (CFD) software, ANSYS/Fluent. The modeling tool incorporates electrochemical model of a PEM electrolysis cell to simulate the performance of coupled thermal-fluid, species transport, and electrochemical processes in a product-scale cell or stack by leveraging the powerful meshing generation and CFD solver of ANSYS/Fluent. The thermal-fluid modeling includes liquid water/gas two-phase flow and simulates a PEM electrolysis cell by using Fluent user-defined functions as add-on modules accounting for PEM-specific species transport and electrochemical processes. The modeling outcomes expediate PEM electrolyzer scaling up from basic material development and laboratory testing.}, keywords = {Electrochemical modeling, Hydrogen production, Low temperature electrolysis water splitting, Proton exchange membrane electrolysis cell}, issn = {0360-3199}, doi = {https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhydene.2021.02.170}, url = {https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0360319921007448}, author = {Zhiwen Ma and Liam Witteman and Jacob A. Wrubel and Guido Bender} } @article {1155, title = {Elucidating the Role of Hydroxide Electrolyte on Anion-Exchange-Membrane Water Electrolyzer Performance}, journal = {Journal of The Electrochemical Society}, volume = {168}, year = {2021}, month = {05/2021}, pages = {054522}, abstract = {Many solid-state devices, especially those requiring anion conduction, often add a supporting electrolyte to enable efficient operation. The prototypical case is that of anion-exchange-membrane water electrolyzers (AEMWEs), where addition of an alkali metal solution improves performance. However, the specific mechanism of this performance improvement is currently unknown. This work investigates the functionality of the alkali metal solution in AEMWEs using experiments and mathematical models. The results show that additional hydroxide plays a key role not only in ohmic resistance of the membrane and catalyst layer but also in the reaction kinetics. The modeling suggests that the added liquid electrolyte creates an additional electrochemical interface with the electrocatalyst that provides ion-transport pathways and distributes product gas bubbles; the total effective electrochemical active surface area in the cell with 1 M KOH is 5 times higher than that of the cell with DI water. In the cell with 1 M KOH, more than 80\% of the reaction current is associate with the liquid electrolyte. These results indicate the importance of high pH of electrolyte and catalyst/electrolyte interface in AEMWEs. The understanding of the functionality of the alkali metal solution presented in this study should help guide the design and optimization of AEMWEs.}, keywords = {alkali metal solutions, anion-exchange-membrane water electrolyzers, Energy Sciences, energy storage, liquid electrolyte, solid-state devices}, issn = {0013-4651}, doi = {10.1149/1945-7111/ac0019}, author = {Jiangjin Liu and Zhenye Kang and Dongguo Li and Magnolia Pak and Shaun M. Alia and Cy Fujimoto and Guido Bender and Yu Seung Kim and Adam Z. Weber} } @article {1156, title = {Energy Material Network Data Hubs}, journal = {International Journal of Advanced Computer Science and Applications}, volume = {12}, year = {2021}, abstract = {In early 2015 the United States Department of Energy conceived of a consortium of collaborative bodies based on shared expertise, data, and resources that could be targeted towards the more difficult problems in energy materials research. The concept of virtual laboratories had been envisioned and discussed earlier in the decade in response to the advent of the Materials Genome Initiative and similar scientific thrusts. To be effective, any virtual laboratory needed a robust method for data management, communication, security, data sharing, dissemination, and demonstration to work efficiently and effectively for groups of remote researchers. With the accessibility of new, easily deployed cloud technology and software frameworks, such individual elements could be integrated, and the required collaboration architecture is now possible. The developers have leveraged open-source software frameworks, customized them, and merged them into a platform to enable collaborative energy materials science, regardless of the geographic dispersal of the people and resources. After five years in operations, the systems are demonstratively an effective platform for enabling research within the Energy Material Networks (EMN). This paper will show the design and development of a secured scientific data sharing platform, the ability to customize the system to support diverse workflows, and examples of the enabled research and results connected with some of the Energy Material Networks.}, keywords = {cloud computing, consortium, data management, Energy materials research, network, virtual laboratories}, doi = {10.14569/IJACSA.2021.0120677}, url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.14569/IJACSA.2021.0120677}, author = {Robert R. White and Kristin Munch and Nicholas Wunder and Nalinrat Guba and Chitra Sivaraman and Kurt M. Van Allsburg and Huyen Dinh and Courtney Pailing} } @article {1157, title = {Hydrogen: Targeting \textdollar1/kg in 1 Decade}, journal = {The Electrochemical Society Interface}, volume = {30}, year = {2021}, month = {12/2021}, pages = {61{\textendash}66}, abstract = {The societal energy system is evolving rapidly as the impacts of our existing energy system are better appreciated and technological advances have dramatically decreased the cost of renewable resources. Simultaneously, the importance of energy transfer across timeframes and the difficulty of decarbonizing the industrial loads and transportation demands using electricity are being recognized. At the center of this need is achieving low-cost clean hydrogen. The U.S. Department of Energy launched the Hydrogen Energy EarthShot which seeks to reduce the cost of clean hydrogen to $1 per 1 kilogram in one decade. Reaching the $1/kg goal is dependent on the evolution of the electrical energy system to increase renewable energy deployment and low electricity costs; advances in electrolysis technology and manufacturing readiness; and infrastructure build-out and hydrogen market establishment that results in the ability to make, move, store, and use clean hydrogen economically while spurring job creation.}, keywords = {Clean hydrogen, decarbonizing, electrolysis, energy storage, energy transfer, hydrogen market, hydrogen shot}, doi = {10.1149/2.f15214if}, url = {https://doi.org/10.1149/2.f15214if}, author = {Bryan S. Pivovar and Mark F. Ruth and Deborah J. Myers and Huyen N. Dinh} } @article {1152, title = {A mini-review on proton conduction of BaZrO 3 -based perovskite electrolytes}, journal = {Journal of Physics: Energy}, volume = {3}, year = {2021}, month = {07}, pages = {032019}, keywords = {ceramics, dopant, electrolyte, electrolytic cell, energy conversion, fuel cell, hydration, interaction, mobility, oxide, proton, proton conduction}, doi = {10.1088/2515-7655/ac12ab}, author = {Vera, Clarita and Ding, Hanping and Peterson, David and Gibbons, William and Zhou, Meng and Ding, Dong} } @article {1160, title = {Modeling Electrokinetics of Oxygen Electrodes in Solid Oxide Electrolyzer Cells}, journal = {Journal of The Electrochemical Society}, volume = {168}, year = {2021}, month = {11/2021}, pages = {114510}, abstract = {A microscale model is presented in this study to simulate electrode kinetics of the oxygen electrode in a solid oxide electrolyzer cell (SOEC). Two mixed ionic/electronic conducting structures are examined for the oxygen producing electrode in this work: single layer porous lanthanum strontium cobalt ferrite (LSCF), and bilayer LSCF/SCT (strontium cobalt tantalum oxide) structures. A yttrium-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) electrolyte separates the hydrogen and oxygen electrodes, as well as a gadolinium doped-ceria (GDC) buffer layer on the oxygen electrode side. Electrochemical reactions occurring at the two-phase boundaries (2PBs) and three-phase boundaries (3PBs) of single-layer LSCF and bilayer LSCF/SCT oxygen electrodes are modeled under various SOEC voltages with lattice oxygen stoichiometry as the key output. The results reveal that there exists a competition in electrode kinetics between 2PBs and 3PBs, but 3PBs are the primary reactive sites for single-layer LSCF oxygen electrode under high voltages. These locations experience the greatest oxygen stoichiometry variations and are therefore the most likely locations for dimensional changes. By applying an active SCT layer over LSCF, the 2PBs become activated to compete with the 3PBs, thus alleviating oxygen stoichiometry variations and reducing the likelihood of dimensional change. This strategy could reduce lattice structural expansion, proving to be valuable for electrode-electrolyte delamination prevention and will be the focus of future work.}, keywords = {Barium zirconate, Defect transport, electrode-electrolyte delamination prevention, Faradaic efficiency, lattice oxygen stoichiometry, microscale model, o-SOEC, oxygen electrode, solid oxide electrolyzer cell}, doi = {10.1149/1945-7111/ac35fc}, url = {https://doi.org/10.1149/1945-7111/ac35fc}, author = {Korey Cook and Jacob Wrubel and Zhiwen Ma and Kevin Huang and Xinfang Jin} } @article {1177, title = {Thin film growth effects on electrical conductivity in entropy stabilized oxides}, journal = {Journal of the European Ceramic Society}, volume = {41}, year = {2021}, pages = {2617-2624}, abstract = {Entropy stabilization has garnered significant attention as a new approach to designing novel materials. Much of the work in this area has focused on bulk ceramic processing, leaving entropy-stabilized thin films relatively under-explored. Following an extensive multi-variable investigation of polycrystalline (Mg0.2Co0.2Ni0.2Cu0.2Zn0.2)O thin films deposited via pulsed laser deposition (PLD), it is shown here that substrate temperature and deposition pressure have strong and repeatable effects on film texture and lattice parameter. Further analysis shows that films deposited at lower temperatures and under lower oxygen chamber pressure are \~{}40{\texttimes} less electrically resistive than otherwise identical films grown at higher temperature and pressure. Annealing these films in an oxygen-rich environment increases their electrical resistivity to match that of the films grown at higher temperatures and pressures. Because of this, the electric conductivity is hypothesized to be the result of polaron hopping mediated by transition metal valence changes which compensate for oxygen off-stoichiometry.}, keywords = {electrical conductivity, Entropy, oxide, Phase, Polycrystalline oxide thin films, Pulsed laser deposition, STCH, Thin film}, issn = {0955-2219}, doi = {https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jeurceramsoc.2020.12.021}, url = {https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0955221920309900}, author = {V. Jacobson and D. Diercks and B. To and A. Zakutayev and G. Brennecka} } @article {1169, title = {Degradation of solid oxide electrolysis cells: Phenomena, mechanisms, and emerging mitigation strategies{\textemdash}A review}, journal = {Journal of Materials Science \& Technology}, volume = {55}, year = {2020}, note = {SI: Energy Conversion \& Storage Materials Design, Fabrication and Functionality}, pages = {35-55}, abstract = {Solid oxide electrolysis cell (SOEC) is a promising electrochemical device with high efficiency for energy storage and conversion. However, the degradation of SOEC is a significant barrier to commercial viability. In this review paper, the typical degradation phenomena of SOEC are summarized, with great attention into the anodes/oxygen electrodes, including the commonly used and newly developed anode materials. Meanwhile, mechanistic investigations on the electrode/electrolyte interfaces are provided to unveil how the intrinsic factor, oxygen partial pressure pO2, and the electrochemical operation conditions, affect the interfacial stability of SOEC. At last, this paper also presents some emerging mitigation strategies to circumvent long-term degradation, which include novel infiltration method, development of new anode materials and engineering of the microstructure.}, keywords = {Degradation, Electrode/electrolyte interface, Mitigation, solid oxide electrolysis cell, Strategy}, issn = {1005-0302}, doi = {https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jmst.2019.07.026}, url = {https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1005030219302464}, author = {Yi Wang and Wenyuan Li and Liang Ma and Wei Li and Xingbo Liu} } @article {1122, title = {Improved Performance and Efficiency of Lanthanum{\textendash}Strontium{\textendash}Manganese Perovskites Undergoing Isothermal Redox Cycling under Controlled pH2O/pH2}, journal = {Energy \& Fuels}, volume = {34}, year = {2020}, pages = {16918-16926}, keywords = {Experimental, Isothermal cycling, Perovskites}, doi = {https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.energyfuels.0c02872}, author = {K. Lee and D. C. McCord and R. J. Carrillo and B. Guyll and J. R. Scheffe} } @article {1167, title = {Triple ionic{\textendash}electronic conducting oxides for next-generation electrochemical devices}, journal = {Nature Materials}, volume = {20}, year = {2020}, month = {12/2020}, keywords = {electrolysis cells, fuel cells, ionic species transport, membrane reactors, Triple ionic{\textendash}electronic conductors}, issn = {1476-1122}, doi = {10.1038/s41563-020-00854-8}, url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/1762454}, author = {Papac, Meagan and Stevanovi{\'c}, Vladan and Zakutayev, Andriy and O{\textquoteright}Hayre, Ryan} } @article {1135, title = {Best Practices in Perovskite Solar Cell Efficiency Measurements. Avoiding the Error of Making Bad Cells Look Good}, journal = {Journal of Physical Chemistry Letters}, volume = {6}, year = {2015}, month = {03}, pages = {852-857}, keywords = {additive engineering, encapsulation, Perovskite, perovskite defects, perovskite degradation, perovskite solar cell, perovskite solar cell stability}, doi = {10.1021/acs.jpclett.5b00289}, author = {Christians, Jeffrey and Manser, Joseph and Kamat, Prashant} } @article {1134, title = {Assessing the Oxidative Stability of Anion Exchange Membranes in Oxygen Saturated Aqueous Alkaline Solutions}, journal = {Frontiers in Energy Research}, volume = {10}, month = {2022}, keywords = {anion exchange membrane, conductivity, electrolysis, protocol and guidelines, stability}, doi = {10.3389/fenrg.2022.871851}, author = {Arges, Christopher G. and Ramani, Vijay and Wang, Zhongyang and Ouimet, Ryan J.} }