Page 74 - Read Online

Chen et al. Energy Mater. 2025, 5, 500045 Energy Materials
DOI: 10.20517/energymater.2024.144

Review Open Access

Recent advances in high temperature solid oxide

electrolytic cells

Wei Chen, Chunwen Sun *
School of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, China University of Mining & Technology (Beijing), Beijing 100083, China.

*Correspondence to: Dr. Chunwen Sun, School of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, China University of Mining
& Technology (Beijing), No. Ding 11, Xueyuan Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100083, China. E-mail: csun@cumtb.edu.cn

How to cite this article: Chen, W.; Sun, C. Recent advances in high temperature solid oxide electrolytic cells. Energy Mater. 2025,
5, 500045. https://dx.doi.org/10.20517/energymater.2024.144

Received: 30 Aug 2024 First Decision: 31 Oct 2024 Revised: 20 Nov 2024 Accepted: 5 Dec 2024 Published: 19 Feb 2025

Academic Editor: Sining Yun Copy Editor: Fangling Lan Production Editor: Fangling Lan

Abstract
Solid oxide electrolytic cells (SOECs) with oxygen ion- or proton-conducting electrolytes have received extensive
attention in recent years as a kind of energy storage technology. SOECs achieve the synthesis of chemicals such as
hydrogen, CO or syngas by electrolyzing water, CO or both at high temperatures. This review presents the basic
2
structure and electrochemical principle of SOECs, then introduces the recent research progress of cathodes,
anodes and electrolytes in SOECs, and particularly points out the current challenges of SOEC materials, such as
inactivation at high temperatures and decay due to long-term operation. We summarize various strategies to
improve the properties of different electrode materials, including doping, in situ exsolution and microstructure
modification. Moreover, the advantages and disadvantages of different SOEC stack structures (planar and tubular)
are also outlined. Finally, the future development trends in novel materials and engineering design of SOECs are
proposed.

Keywords: Solid oxide electrolytic cells, perovskite cathodes, hydrogen production, degradation mechanisms,
SOEC stacks

INTRODUCTION
At present, the global energy structure is still dominated by traditional fossil energy sources, which cause
serious environmental pollution. With the increasing demand for clean energy, hydrogen (H ) as an
2
efficient and environmentally friendly energy carrier has received widespread attention . Traditional
[1]

© The Author(s) 2025. Open Access This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0
International License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, sharing,
adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, for any purpose, even commercially, as
long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license, and
indicate if changes were made.

www.oaepublish.com/energymater