Spectroscopic Analysis of High-Temperature Stability of Electrocatalysts in Solid Oxide Electrolysis Cells****

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The commercialization of innovative carbon dioxide (CO2) recycling technologies would mitigate climate change by effectively closing the anthropogenic carbon cycle. SeeO2 Energy is a Canadian company that has developed a high temperature solid oxide electrolysis cell (SOEC). This innovative technology is capable of converting an input stream containing CO2 and water into syngas - a mixture of gases that can be readily converted to hydrocarbons using existing industrial infrastructure. The high rates of CO2 conversion by the technology and the interfacial stability of the catalyst layers have attracted significant interest from both industrial and academic groups world-wide. SeeO2 Energy is advancing their technology to the next stage by introducing the ability to tailor the composition of the output gas stream. This advance, which would make the technology appealing to a larger cross section of the industrial community, is being achieved by manipulation of the composition of the input gas stream. Changes in the composition of input and output gases risks damaging the catalyst materials and cell components; SeeO2 Energy will engage Prof. Smith and his research group at the University of Waterloo to analyze the functional limits of their proprietary catalyst materials. Prof. Smith is an expert in both electrocatalysis and characterization of the structure and bonding in solid-state materials. He will assist SeeO2 Energy in their development process by characterizing the catalyst materials at elevated temperatures while varying the gaseous environment. These materials will initially be monitored in real-time to determine whether any particular gas, or combination of gases, induces structural changes in the catalyst. Any structural changes that are identified will be further analyzed by state-of-the-art facilities at the University of Waterloo. Prof. Smith will work closely with the Research & Development team at SeeO2 Energy to develop strategies to overcome any issues that arise. This collaborative work will expand the scope of industrial sectors in which SeeO2 Energy can market their technology, thereby assisting Canada in realizing our environmental commitments establishing our role as a leader in sustainable technology markets.