Solid Oxide Interfaces for Faster Ion Transport (SOIFIT)

Solid state electrochemical devices are set to revolutionise clean energy conversion and storage and provide a pathway to minimise carbon emissions whilst sustaining global energy requirements. Devices such as the Solid Oxide Fuel Cell (SOFC) and the Solid Oxide Electrolysis Cell (SOEC) and all solid state lithium and sodium batteries will play an increasingly important role in the energy economies of Japan, Europe and the USA, for domestic industrial and transport applications. Example devices are all solid state Li batteries for electric vehicles, and SOFC stacks for domestic CHP applications. Such devices based on solid oxide electrolytes rely upon the rapid transport of charged atoms (ions) across either the solid/gas and/or solid/solid interfaces. In addition to the optimisation of such interfaces for fast ion transport, they also play an important role in the degradation of devices under operating conditions. Examples of these degradation processes are the drop in performance of SOFC electrodes caused by surface decomposition of the active oxides, the formation of short circuit Li metal dendrites in Li batteries, and the delamination of electrodes in SOEC. The focus of this proposal will be to provide a full and fundamental study of both types of interface by state-of-the-art characterisation techniques, combined with cutting edge theoretical simulations, to investigate the detailed atomic structure electronic structure chemical composition and mass and charge transport. This is a very challenging task as the materials used in practical devices are complex multi-component oxides. Examples include the double perovskite oxides, such as GdBaCo2O5+d used as a SOFC cathode and an SOEC anode, and the garnet La3Zr2Li7O12 used as an electrolyte in Li batteries. In addition the investigation of these interfaces after exposure to simulated operating conditions, or real operation in devices, will enhance the lifetime of devices and lead to more viable commercial products. A consortium of universities and research institutes will form the core of this collaboration. The lead partners are the Department of Materials at Imperial College London and the International Institute for Carbon-Neutral Energy Research (I2CNER) Kyushu University. Outside the lead UK-Japanese team will be the Paul Scherrer Institut (PSI/ETH) Zurich and Massachusetts Institute of Technology. This consortium will ensure that the researchers in the collaborating countries have access to the latest high performance equipment and theoretical tools. It will also allow young researchers from all the participants to travel between the partners, and meet senior scientists involved in this important research topic. It is hoped that the formation of this consortium will form a "critical mass" of effort to solve what have, up to now, been intractable problems.

In this collaboration we will directly address the three key strategies of EPSRC: Balancing Capability, Building Leadership and Accelerating Impact. By investing in highly skilled individuals and through the provision of high quality international research exchanges, where participants will work with international leaders in their fields, we will mentor our staff and students, developing them as future international research leaders. Our programme will provide excellent opportunities for researchers and PhD students to gain international experience and develop a wide portfolio of skills in key techniques. Whilst our focus will be on solid state electrochemical devices, the skills developed will be applicable of a range of physical sciences themes. We will also transfer complementary skills from our partners to the UK participants, and attract highly skilled individuals to the UK research sector. Our intention is that the staff involved will develop into future research leaders during the course of this 5-year collaboration. At its conclusion we would expect several of the participants to have secured prestigious fellowships (EPSRC, Royal Society, RAEng ets.) whilst others will have secured academic positions or postdoctoral placements. Our work will also provide support for the CDTs in Advanced Materials Characterisation and Fuel Cells, with placement opportunities available at all of our international partners. In terms of specific outputs, we will generate high impact papers, generate IP and develop links with both UK and Japanese industrial partners during this collaboration. These activities address all three of the strategies outline by EPSRC: Balancing Capability, Building Leadership and Accelerating Impact.
We also have an impact in the industrial application of these devices. Imperial is closely working with its spin out company, Ceres Power, in the development of SOFC technology. Ceres is actively working with Japanese industrial partners (Nissan, Honda) and will benefit from contact with Japanese academics. The activities of the consortium, particulalrly in terms of degradation processes will be of wide use to both UK and Japanese industry. A further impact of this collaborative research will be the supply of trained personnel capable of rapidly integrating into these highly interdisciplinary industries.