A Comparative Study of the Performance and Electrode Processes of Solid Oxide H2O Electrolysis and CO2 Electrolysis

The significance of converting CO 2 into valuable feedstock is highly emphasized with the carbon neutrality vision and solid electrolysis cell has been regarded as a promising technology to convert CO 2 . However, it is far from its industrial application due to the severe degradation. In this paper, a degradation phenomenon was reported on both a button cell and an industrial size cell. Both cells suffered severe degradation during a short-time operating of CO 2 electrolysis. The comparison of performance before and after degradation revealed significant differences between H 2 O electrolysis and CO 2 electrolysis in terms of electrode processes and it was indicated that the interface of fuel electrode and electrolyte was the place that was severely damaged. Finally, a safety operating voltage interval was advocated to suppress the degradation.