Intermediate Temperature Reversible Fuel Cells

Electrolysis of water produces high‐purity hydrogen directly, with no need for additional clean‐up process. Efficiency and cost of electrolysis are favorable with high‐temperature steam electrolyzers where a portion of the required energy can be supplied as thermal energy. With the similarity in requirements, much of the materials and designs aspects for the high‐temperature electrolyzers have been derived from solid oxide fuel cell development. Lanthanum gallate electrolyte‐based cells were evaluated in fuel cell and electrolysis modes of operation. A modified nickel anode is shown to lower the reactivity with the gallate.