Accelerated Stress Tests for Solid Oxide Cells via Artificial Aging of the Fuel Electrode

AD ASTRA: Data from Experiments for Artificial Aging of the Fuel Electrode in Solid Oxide Cells  via Redox Cycling

One of the big hurdles towards fast deployment of Solid Oxide Cells (fuel cells or electrolyzers) is durability. Although intensive works are carried out for life time improvement, they meet a serious problem concerning long term electrochemical tests for accumulation of reliable data that may continue several years, which is unaffordable. A problem-solving approach is the introduction of Accelerated Stress Tests (AST) applying  high levels of stress for a shorter period thus reducing the test time for degradation qualification.

Since there are no definite criteria for the level of acceleration of a specific degradation phenomenon, the selection of aggravating conditions is a critical moment which is under studies in the FCH JU Project AD ASTRA (GA 825027).

Herein we present data accumulated during the development of a procedure for artificial accelerated aging of the fuel electrode via redox cycling. They include electrochemical testing (current-voltage curves and impedance measurements) and microstructural characterization (SEM-BSE image analysis), as well as procedure for redox cycling.