NICENESS

Nanocomposite multi-ionic Ceria Carbonate Electrodes for New reversible Electrolysis – NICENESS

Principal Investigator: Angela Gondolini
Involved Personnel: Andrea Bartoletti
Starting date: 28/09/2023
Duration: 24 months
Total Funding: 239 099,00 €
Call: PIANO NAZIONALE DI RIPRESA E RESILIENZA (PNRR) Missione 4 “Istruzione e Ricerca” – Componente C2 Investimento 1.1, “Fondo per il Programma Nazionale di Ricerca e Progetti di Rilevante Interesse Nazionale (PRIN)” PRIN 2022 PNRR
CNR-ISSMC Role: Partner
Project Coordinator: Alessandra Donazzi (Politecnico di Milano), Angela Gondolini (co-PI)
Consortium: Politecnico di Milano (Alessandro Donazi), CNR-ISSMC (Angela Gondolini), Università di Salerno (Prof. Vincenzo Vaiano), Università di Trento (Prof. Sandra Dirè).

NICENESS project presents a flexible and sustainable energy solution by designing an innovative Reversible Solid Oxide Cell (R-SOC) based on nanostructured materials made of sodium carbonate-ceria composites (CCC). Dispersing nanoparticles of Samaria Doped Ceria (SDC <50 nm) in a matrix of sodium carbonate leads to a composite material that simultaneously transfers oxide ions, protons and carbonates with remarkably larger ionic conductivity than traditional electrolyte materials. This high multi-ionic conductivity is maintained below 600°C, potentially leading to Low Temperature R-SOCs (LT-R-SOCs) that enable the direct utilization of CO2, H2O and syngas and comply with Power-to-Syngas technologies. Benefits arise from cost saving, longer lifetime and easy connection with existing plants for synthetic fuels production.

The project aims at developing fuel and air electrodes for LT-R-SOCs that stably convert syngas in fuel cell mode, and CO2 and H2O in co-electrolysis at 500°C, with a top power production of 400 mW/cm2 at 0.75 V and 0.8-1 Ω*cm2 area-specific resistance in co-electrolysis. The physicochemical, structural and conductive properties of composites, and the electrocatalytic activity of the electrodes will be studied with synergistic techniques and appropriate button cell configurations. Catalytic tests will be also performed to verify the Water Gas Shift activity, the methanation activity and the C-formation tendency.