During the second period, the project has contributed to the following advancements:
- Novel materials were developed as redox-stable electrodes and reversible electrodes for the various applications. Both disk-shaped samples and complete tubular cells have been successfully produced with these novel electrode architectures and tested by EIS and IV measurements. The results on cell test for reversible electrolysis are showing significant improvement of the new architectures in terms of ASR and Faradaic efficiency, as compared to the state-of-the-art cell configuration established from former project. Regarding the development of redox stable electrodes, the best candidate materials were tested in planar configuration at ambient pressure. It was found that the candidate presents a suitable redox stability, maintaining its performance after several cycles of exposure in oxidizing and ethane-H2 atmosphere. Selectivity towards ethylene is currently limited by the low hydrogen flux from the electrolyte supported disk shaped cell. The results are encouraging and further work on complete tubular cell is needed to validate the potential of this route.
- Novel architectures of electrodes and cells have been produced, which encompass tubular half-cells with improved microstructure of the H2 electrode and stoichiometry of the electrolyte; novel current collection system for tubular cell integrating steel mesh; various BGLC-BZCY electrodes with variable BGLC stoichiometry and a bi-layered BGLC//BZCY-BGLC electrode.
- Regarding the development of a hybrid AI-Multiphysics tools, CSIC has developed a modelling platform, as described in WP3 and in D3.3. The platform software is called 3DM, is based on Python and comprises 4 main programmatic units, namely structures, geometries, generators and models.
- A multi-scale multi-physics modelling platform has been developed with partial integration of all disciplines (atomistic, electro-chemical, mechanical, fluid flow, reactor engineering, electric, heat). The partners have worked on establishing a communication platform to establish a link between the different models and competences. This has notably resulted in the development of an engineering model for each of the WINNER application. Furthermore, atomistic modelling has been used to define activation energies and pre-exponential values over a sequence of electrode reaction steps. These has been implemented as input parameters in the electrochemical model. A DC current-potential (I-V) relation was also developed. AA generic model for expressing electrode overpotential versus current based on measured polarisation resistance has been developed and exemplified for BLC and BGLC37.
- Tubular half-cells have been characterized via a four-point bending technique to assess their linear behaviour and mechanical properties. Different testing conditions have been investigated, varying parameters such as temperature, gas atmosphere composition and time of exposure to the latter conditions to determine the effect of relevant operating parameters on the mechanical reliability of the aforementioned components.The tubular half-cells showed satisfactory mechanical performance in all the conditions.
-Process diagram with BoP for each application has been defined by all industrial partners. This has been used as a basis for defining the engineering models, and furthermore to carry out techno-economic analysis, as well as life cycle asssessment of the technologies.
