High-entropy strategies transforming solid oxide cells: Progress and perspectives

Solid oxide cells (SOCs) have emerged as one of the key technologies for low-carbon energy transition due to their fuel flexibility and high system efficiency. However, their long-term deployment remains hindered by material degradation and interfacial instability under high-temperature and multi-atmospheric operating conditions. In particular, achieving a balance between catalytic activity and structural stability presents a major bottleneck in material design. High-entropy materials (HEMs), with their unique configurational entropy effect, multi-principal element synergy, and tunable local defect chemistry, offer a promising pathway to overcome these limitations. This perspective reviews recent advances in the application of HEMs in SOCs, including element selection and structure tuning, machine-learning-assisted design, in situ leaching and self-assembly engineering, and high-entropy coating strategies. Special attention is paid to how HEMs leverage their multi-elemental composition and defect regulation to enhance electrode performance, stabilize interfaces, and improve tolerance to poisoning species. We further highlight the potential of data-driven approaches for accelerating HEM screening and performance optimization, and discuss the integration of high-throughput experimentation with computational modeling to enable efficient exploration of the vast compositional space. Despite the remarkable progress, key challenges remain in achieving long-term stability and reliability across diverse operating scenarios. Future research should focus on precise control of non-equimolar compositions, development of cross-scale dynamic characterization techniques, and establishment of closed-loop frameworks that couple data-driven models with experimental feedback. These efforts will pave the way toward the rational design of high-performance, durable SOC systems.