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At least 19 records

All sources NASA NTRS DOE OSTI

DOE OSTI2026

Operando X-Ray Diffraction During High Temperature Electrolysis

This work presents the design, development, and deployment of an operando X-ray diffraction (XRD) system for high-temperature electrolysis (HTE), enabling real-time characterization of solid oxide electrolysis cells (SOECs) under true operational conditions. The integration of an HTE test stand within a synchrotron radiation environment, mimicking the conditions of a laboratory setup, aims to enhance our understanding of the degradation processes affecting the performance and longevity of SOECs. Utilizing a custom furnace and a high precision motor stack assembly at the Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Lightsource (SSRL), the system revealed unparalleled insights into the structural evolution of SOEC components through various operational stages, including initial heat ramp, cell reduction, fuel ramp, and wet electrolysis. Initial results demonstrate the significant impact of the initial heating and cooling on secondary phase formation within the SOEC, highlighting the utility of operando XRD for developing more efficient and durable hydrogen production technologies.

08 HYDROGEN↗

DOE OSTI2025

Voltage cycling as a dynamic operation mode for high temperature electrolysis solid oxide cells

Solid Oxide Electrolysis Cells (SOECs) have emerged as a promising technology for the efficient production of H2 via high-temperature electrolysis. However, power input from dynamic energy sources remains a significant challenge for their long-term stability. It is important to analyze the tolerance of cells under dynamic operation conditions. This study focuses on evaluating the impact of voltage cycling on the performance and durability of electrode-supported SOECs. We explore the operational limits and degradation mechanisms of SOECs subjected to various voltage conditions and find that the cells have high tolerance for dynamic voltage. Voltage cycling between 1.3 V and 1.5 V for 9000 cycles does not damage the cell. Conversely, cycling to higher voltages (≥1.7 V) results in accelerated degradation. Advanced characterization is used to screen for various degradation modes post operation. Within the oxygen electrode, XRD and STEM EDS find compositional and phase evolution in all voltage cycled samples including increased decomposition of the air electrode resulting in cation migration. Microstructural analysis of the fuel electrode from nano-CT data shows minimal change throughout the sample set and no evidence of Ni migration, indicating the fuel electrode is stable and not impacted by cycling to higher voltages within the timeframe studied.

Zhu, Zhikuan↗

DOE OSTI2025

Electron-Phonon Renormalization in the Proton-Conducting Electrolyte Ba Zr O 3 and Its Implications for High-Temperature Electrolysis

Electrical leakage is an inherent problem in solid-oxide fuel and electrolyzer cells, limiting their energy-conversion efficiency. High concentrations of electrons or holes can exacerbate this issue. However, it is largely unclear how the typical high operating temperatures of the systems influence their charge-carrier concentrations. In this work, we use first-principles calculations to examine how lattice vibrations impact electrical conductivity in conventional electrolytes, using Ba Zr O 3 as a representative material. Our analysis shows that phonon-induced shifts in the band gap and band edges lead to a dramatic increase in p -type carrier concentrations at temperatures above 600 K, compared to models that neglect temperature effects. Additionally, we reveal the importance of oxygen-ion motion on band-edge positions, which makes valence-band-edge shift dominate the band-gap change. Our study provides a protocol for calculating phonon-induced changes in similar oxides, paving the way for interrogating electrical leakage in electrolytes for high-temperature operation. Published by the American Physical Society 2025

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗

DOE OSTI2024

State of the art in low-temperature and high-temperature electrolysis

Water electrolysis is gaining traction in large-scale applications, with production of multiple technologies scaling to hundreds and thousands of megawatts of new electrolyzer capacity annually. Low-temperature electrolysis has dominated the electrolyzer market for decades, but still only represents a small amount of the overall hydrogen market, due to the higher production costs versus hydrogen derived from fossil fuels. Advances are needed in capital cost and efficiency to close the cost gap, especially for energy applications. Similarly, while high-temperature electrolyzers can operate more efficiently, reducing the operating cost, they still need further scale-up and cost reduction to compete in these markets. Understanding the recent advances in each and the priority research directions is important to focus and accelerate innovation, and will be discussed in this article. The different advantages and disadvantages of each of these technologies will also be reviewed; there will likely be applications for each in the overall deployment of renewable hydrogen.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

DOE OSTI2025

Technical analysis of high-efficiency and flexible direct reduced iron plants integrated with high-temperature electrolysis

Not Available

Scaccabarozzi, R. (ORCID:0000000191247073)↗

DOE OSTI2026

Robust dynamic operation of high temperature electrolysis solid oxide cells

Here, this study evaluates the durability of Ni/YSZ-supported SOECs under dynamic operating conditions relevant to real-world applications. Systematic tests were conducted to assess cell performance under steam cycling (3 to 75% humidified H 2 ), mode cycling between SOFC and SOEC operation, thermal cycling (150 to 750 °C at OCV, and 600 to 800 °C at 1.3V), and redox cycling (between 50% humidified H 2 and 50% humidified N 2 ). Steam cycling, mode cycling, and thermal cycling at OCV do not significantly accelerate performance degradation. Thermal cycling at 1.3V caused minimal damage within 600 to 800 °C. Full redox cycling (multi-hour oxidation holds) induced cell structural failure, while partial redox cycling (0.5 h holds) was tolerated. Extensive characterization revealed some material evolution, namely Sr and Co secondary phase formation, within the oxygen electrode due to La 0.6 Sr 0.4 Co 0.2 Fe 0.8 O 3-δ instability, especially for steam cycling and mode cycling. Minimal changes were identified within the Ni-YSZ fuel electrodes. These findings provide critical insights into SOEC reliability under dynamic conditions, supporting their application in dynamic or intermittent energy systems.

08 HYDROGEN↗

NASA NTRS1989

Carbon dioxide and water vapor high temperature electrolysis

The design, fabrication, breadboard testing, and the data base obtained for solid oxide electrolysis systems that have applications for planetary manned missions and habitats are reviewed. The breadboard tested contains sixteen tubular cells in a closely packed bundle for the electrolysis of carbon dioxide and water vapor. The discussion covers energy requirements, volume, weight, and operational characteristics related to the measurement of the reactant and product gas compositions, temperature distribution along the electrolyzer tubular cells and through the bundle, and thermal energy losses. The reliability of individual cell performance in the bundle configuration is assessed.

Isenberg, Arnold O.↗

NASA NTRS2000

Microreactor System Design for a NASA In Situ Propellant Production Plant on Mars

The NASA In Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU) program is planning near-term missions to Mars that will include chemical processes for converting the carbon dioxide (CO2) and possibly water from the Martian environment to propellants, oxygen, and other useful chemicals. The use of indigenous resources reduces the size and weight of the payloads from Earth significantly, representing enormous cost savings that make human exploration of Mars affordable. Extraterrestrial chemical processing plants will need to be compact, lightweight, highly efficient under reduced gravity, and extraordinarily reliable for long periods. Microchemical and thermal systems represent capability for dramatic reduction in size and weight, while offering high reliability through massive parallelization. In situ propellant production (ISPP), one aspect of the ISRU program, involves collecting and pressurizing atmospheric CO2, conversion reactions, chemical separations, heat exchangers, and cryogenic storage. A preliminary system design of an ISPP plant based on microtechnology has demonstrated significant size, weight, and energy efficiency gains over the current NASA baseline. Energy management is a strong driver for Mars-based processes, not only because energy is a scarce resource, but because heat rejection is problematic; the low pressure environment makes convective heat transfer ineffective. Energy efficiency gains are largely achieved in the microchemical plant through extensive heat recuperation and energy cascading, which has a small size and weight penalty because the added micro heat exchangers are small. This leads to additional size and weight gains by reducing the required area of waste heat radiators. The microtechnology-based ISPP plant is described in detail, including aspects of pinch analysis for optimizing the heat exchanger network. Three options for thermochemical compression Of CO2 from the Martian atmosphere, adsorption, absorption, and cryogenic freezing, are presented, as well as three options for water decomposition, low temperature electrolysis, high temperature electrolysis, and thermochemical decomposition. Other elements of the plant include Sabatier and reverse water gas shift reactors, water recovery, chemical separations, and cryogenic storage. Data are presented supporting preliminary sizing of components, and results of the system design are compared to the existing NASA baseline that is based on conventional technologies.

TeGrotenhuis, W. E.↗

DOE OSTI2026

Integrated techno-economic framework for nuclear hydrogen production: assessing the role of high temperature steam electrolysis and safety considerations

This manuscript presents a comprehensive techno-economic assessment of nuclear integrated hydrogen production through high-temperature steam electrolysis (HTSE) in the U.S. Gulf Coast region. Given the significant role of hydrogen as an energy carrier and chemical feedstock, the research evaluates the feasibility of co-locating HTSE facilities with existing nuclear power plants (NPPs) to enhance hydrogen production efficiency and cost-effectiveness. Here, the study highlights the advantages of HTSE over traditional low-temperature electrolysis, particularly in leveraging thermal and electrical energy from NPPs. A novel framework for hydrogen deployment is introduced, integrating hydrogen market analysis, techno-economic evaluation (TEA), and safety assessments. The findings underscore the economic viability of hydrogen production in light of current market conditions, including fluctuating natural gas prices and the impact of production tax credits under the Inflation Reduction Act. A case study in the Gulf Coast region demonstrates the potential for strategic hydrogen production to meet growing industrial demand while ensuring safety and regulatory compliance. Overall, this research contributes to the advancement of nuclear integrated hydrogen production as a sustainable energy solution.

08 - HYDROGEN↗

DOE OSTI2026

HydroGEN Consortium

HydroGEN Energy Materials Network (EMN) is an U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) EERE Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technologies Office (HFTO)-funded consortium that aims to accelerate the discovery and development of advanced water splitting materials (AWSM) for clean, low-cost hydrogen production. Materials innovations are key to enhancing performance, durability, and cost of hydrogen generation technologies. HydroGEN is focused on low technology readiness level AWS technologies, including low- (alkaline exchanged membrane electrolysis) and high-temperature electrolysis (proton-conducting solid oxide electrolysis), photoelectrochecmical (PEC) and thermochemical (TCH) water splitting. The AWS technologies in this consortium study proton conduction in solid oxide electrolysis and hydroxide conduction in polymer electrolysis, and proton transport in photoelectrochemical water splitting. This presentation will provide an overview of the HydroGEN EMN and technical highlights of a few lab-led and DOE-awarded "seedling" R&D projects. HydroGEN continues to grow its community of industry, university, and national laboratories, forming a national innovation ecosystem focused on renewable hydrogen production.

08 HYDROGEN↗

DOE OSTI2026

HydroGEN Consortium: Advancements in Hydrogen Production

08 HYDROGEN↗

DOE OSTI2025

Evaluation of a 5kW Solid Oxide Electrolysis Cell Stack

Electrolysis is the process of combining water and energy to produce oxygen and hydrogen gas. A solid oxide electrolysis cell (SOEC) is a type of high-temperature electrochemical cell used to yield hydrogen from steam. Many of these cells are put together to form an SOEC stack which operates between 600°C and 1000°C. There are several electrochemical methods for producing hydrogen, but the benefit of high-temperature electrolysis (HTE) in SOECs is they exhibit very high electrical efficiency and the potential for harnessing excess heat from other industrial processes such as nuclear power generation, fertilizer production, and chemical production.

08 - HYDROGEN↗

DOE OSTI2025

Analysis of AC-DC Converters for Grid-tied High Temperature Steam Electrolysis Systems

Grid-tied HTSE systems have the prospects to produce clean hydrogen enabling power and broad energy systems decarbonization. Most commercially available power electronic converter systems (PECS) are designed for batteries, solar PVs, wind, and other well-established renewable energy resources. Standards (such as IEEE 1547, UL 1741, CA Rule-21, HI Rule14) exist for PECS used for renewable energy systems such as battery storage and solar PVs. However, those that consider the dynamic behavior of HTSEs and that can be used for large-scale H2 systems are yet to be developed. This paper investigates the performance of these PECS for the HTSE application that are set up at the Idaho National Laboratory for hydrogen production testing, research and development. In particular, the performance analysis of two grid-tied PECS (A and B) is conducted for a 100 kW solid oxide HTSE system. System A consists of 6 units of 30kW MOSFET-switched bidirectional AC-DC rectifier while system B has a single unit of 150kW thyristor-switched AC-DC rectifier. Both systems are connected to the HTSE stacks via a DC-DC converter. Different operational conditions of the HTSE system are tested to analyze the dynamic response of the HTSE’s PECS. The experimental results show the need to develop advanced control strategies for PECS that incorporates the dynamics of HTSE systems for improved performance.

High temperature steam electrolysis↗

NASA NTRS2009

Gadolinia-Doped Ceria Cathodes for Electrolysis of CO2

Gadolinia-doped ceria, or GDC, (Gd(0.4)Ce(0.6)O(2-delta), where the value of delta in this material varies, depending on the temperature and oxygen concentration in the atmosphere in which it is being used) has shown promise as a cathode material for high-temperature electrolysis of carbon dioxide in solid oxide electrolysis cells. The polarization resistance of a GDC electrode is significantly less than that of an otherwise equivalent electrode made of any of several other materials that are now in use or under consideration for use as cathodes for reduction of carbon dioxide. In addition, GDC shows no sign of deterioration under typical temperature and gas-mixture operating conditions of a high-temperature electrolyzer. Electrolysis of CO2 is of interest to NASA as a way of generating O2 from the CO2 in the Martian atmosphere. On Earth, a combination of electrolysis of CO2 and electrolysis of H2O might prove useful as a means of generating synthesis gas (syngas) from the exhaust gas of a coal- or natural-gas-fired power plant, thereby reducing the emission of CO2 into the atmosphere. The syngas a mixture of CO and H2 could be used as a raw material in the manufacture, via the Fisher-Tropsch process, of synthetic fuels, lubrication oils, and other hydrocarbon prod

Adler, Stuart B.↗

DOE OSTI2026

The Use of Microelectrodes in Molten Salt Electrochemistry

Molten salts have attracted considerable interest as essential media for advanced high-temperature technologies, including molten salt reactors, thermal energy storage, high-temperature electrolysis, and pyrochemical processing. Their ability to remain stable in liquid form at elevated temperatures, combined with favorable thermophysical properties and wide electrochemical windows, makes them highly suitable for applications involving heat transfer, energy storage, and hightemperature electrochemical processing. However, despite these advantages, molten salts present challenges due to their chemically reactive nature at high-temperatures, especially in the presence of oxidizing impurities. Salt chemistry can fluctuate through interactions with impurities over time, or fuel burnup in the case of molten salt reactors, often leading to the dissolution of metal species. This dynamic environment not only results in complex redox behavior but also promotes corrosion, which is rarely uniform and frequently manifests as localized degradation driven by structural materials’ compositional differences, electrochemical imbalances, and microstructural susceptibilities.

Kim, Changkyu [University of Wisconsin-Madison, WI↗

DOE OSTI2025

Novel Electrowinning Reactor for the Energy-Efficient, Low- Cost Production of Rare Earth Metals

This project developed a novel neodymium (Nd) electrowinning reactor for energy-efficient electrowinning of Nd metal. Throughout this project we have developed an alternative chloride based molten salt electrolysis process. Our process lowers the specific electrical energy consumption compared to the state of the art, while producing reusable chlorine gas and eliminating direct CO2 and PFC emissions. Facilities required for implementing the project were setup and designs were finalized, and a standard operating procedure for safe operation of high temperature electrolysis cells was written. The electrowinning reactor was designed and constructed. Electrolysis experiments confirmed the ability to reproducibly electrowin Nd metal on a Mo cathode. The current efficiency for Nd electrowinning was measured as a function of applied current density in the presence of the separator. Successful electrowinning of Nd sponge at high current densities (200 mA/cm2 and above) at a current efficiency >80% was demonstrated using multiple techniques. Stable Nd electrowinning up to 10h at 250 mA/cm2 was demonstrated. All of these design advancements were used to develop a techno-economic and life cycle assessment model that demonstrated that our process could be operated at cost of less than $0.20/kg-Nd (~30% lower compared to state of the art when comparing electrolysis energy cost) with a >20% total reduction in global warming potential compared to the state of the art while generating no direct CO2 or perfluorocarbon emissions.

42 ENGINEERING↗

NASA NTRS1979

High temperature electrolytic recovery of oxygen from gaseous effluents from the carbo-chlorination of lunar anorthite and the hydrogenation of ilmenite: A theoretical study

A thermodynamic analysis discusses the compositions of gaseous effluents from the reaction of carbon and chlorine and of hydrogen with lunar anorthite and ilmenite, respectively. The computations consider the effects of the indigenous volatiles on the solid/gas reactions and on the composition of the effluent gases. A theoretical parameterization of the high temperature electrolysis of such gases is given for several types of solid ceramic electrolytes, and the effect of oxygen removal on the effluents is computed. Potential chemical interactions between the gases and the ceramic electrolytes are analyzed and discussed.

Erstfield, T. E.↗

DOE OSTI2025

Cost analysis of alternative large-scale high-temperature solid oxide electrolysis hydrogen production facilities

We extend our past cost analysis of gigawatt-scale solid oxide electrolysis (SOE) facilities that produce high purity hydrogen gas from water by estimating construction and operating costs for three new alternative design cases: (1) offsite feed steam generation; (2) near-atmospheric pressure (NAP) stack; and (3) onsite electric boiler feed steam generation. Pressure effects on hydrogen electrode-(cathode-)supported SOE cell (SOEC) stack performance are estimated for the same assumed cell and stack construction and used to determine facility-wide stack capital costs for achieving a fixed H2 production at different pressures. Modular balance of plant (BOP) process equipment capital costs are estimated for each new alternative design case using our past equipment sizing, design, and cost data and scaling relationships. Furthermore, we update BOP equipment sizing and design for the NAP case using Aspen®. Vendor quotes for electric boilers are used to estimate costs for the electric boiler design case. Factory and onsite assembly and installation costs for SOEC stacks and BOP equipment are calculated using our past simplified first-principles approach. First-of-a-kind (FOAK) and N th -of-a-kind (NOAK) production maturity cost estimates are included for all results. The case with NAP stacks offers the lowest facility total capital cost (TCC, ~23% lower than base) while use of small electric boilers requires the highest TCC (~3% higher than base). H 2 production prices decrease from the base of ~$\$2.17$ /kgH 2 to ~$\$1.92$/kgH 2 for 1 GW e DC SIP facilities utilizing NAP stacks supplied by offsites steam situated in large modules and blocks for $\$0.030$/kWh e and $0.009/kWh t prices for electricity and thermal energy, respectively. We report all costs in 2021 US dollars.

Balance of plant (BOP) process equipment↗