Objective Solid Oxide Cells (SOCs) should form an important part of any future energy mix, due to their flexible operation andscalability. One barrier to their wider adoption is the degradation of SOC components and operational lifetimes need toincrease by a factor of up to 10 to make them commercially viable. Degradation of the fuel electrode (anode) is welldocumented and fairly well understood; degradation at the oxygen electrode (cathode) has only recently attracted morescientific research and is far less understood.The purpose of this Fellowship is to better understand the degradation that takes place at the Yttria-Stabilised Zirconia (YSZ)electrolyte and La0.8Sr0.2Mn03 (LSM) cathode interface, as this has been cited as ‘one of the most serious degradationproblems in Solid Oxide Fuel Cells (SOFCs)’. A new degradation mechanism involving YSZ has very recently been identifiedat the host institution and its investigation forms the basis of this application. Assuming that a solution to this degradation canbe proposed, the project will have major impacts on the SOFC community and commercial SOFC development. The Fellow,Dr Vendrell, will be supervised by a multi-disciplinary team of experienced researchers, who between them can guide andtutor him in areas relevant to this project: ie materials synthesis and fabrication; electrical property measurements;microstructural characterisation; fabrication of YSZ films using tape casting technology; spectroscopic characterisation andmodelling of materials; in operando and ex-situ analysis of degradation in working SOFCs.The Fellow will build on his previous experience in the area of lead-free ferroelectrics to develop in-depth understanding ofthe electrical properties of YSZ electrolyte, and be trained in state-of-the-art SOC methodology. He will be incorporated intothe UK-wide fuel cell community and develop technical and transferable skills via a carefully-planned and documentedtraining plan. Fields of science engineering and technologyenvironmental engineeringenergy and fuelssynthetic fuelsengineering and technologymaterials engineeringceramicsengineering and technologyenvironmental engineeringenergy and fuelsfuel cellsengineering and technologyenvironmental engineeringenergy and fuelsrenewable energyhydrogen energynatural sciencesphysical sciencesopticsspectroscopy Programme(s) H2020-EU.1.3. - EXCELLENT SCIENCE - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions Main Programme H2020-EU.1.3.2. - Nurturing excellence by means of cross-border and cross-sector mobility Topic(s) MSCA-IF-2015-EF - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowships (IF-EF) Call for proposal H2020-MSCA-IF-2015 See other projects for this call Funding Scheme MSCA-IF-EF-ST - Standard EF Coordinator THE UNIVERSITY OF SHEFFIELD Net EU contribution € 183 454,80 Address FIRTH COURT WESTERN BANK S10 2TN Sheffield United Kingdom See on map Region Yorkshire and the Humber South Yorkshire Sheffield Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Participation in EU R&I programmes Opens in new window HORIZON collaboration network Opens in new window Total cost € 183 454,80