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Updated: Jun 16, 2026
15:08
Probing and Mapping Electrode Surfaces in Solid Oxide Fuel Cells
Published on: September 20, 2012
Electric Field and Oxygen Spillover Coupling Governs Electrode Migration in Solid Oxide Electrolysis Cells
Jinhui Pei1,2, Xiaoqin Chen1,2, Yanxiao Ning1
1State Key Laboratory of Catalysis, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dalian 116023, China.
Journal of the American Chemical Society
|June 14, 2026
Summary
In situ imaging reveals that oxygen spillover and electric fields drive dynamic silver anode restructuring in solid oxide cells. This dynamic evolution enhances the oxygen evolution reaction by creating more active triple-phase boundaries.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Electrochemistry
- Surface Science
Background:
- Electrode surfaces in solid oxide cells undergo dynamic restructuring during operation.
- Understanding these changes requires in situ characterization under operating conditions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To spatially resolve the dynamic evolution of a silver anode in a solid oxide cell.
- To elucidate the mechanisms governing anode restructuring and its impact on performance.
Main Methods:
- Utilized a planar Ag|yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ)|Ag model cell.
- Employed in situ near-ambient pressure photoemission electron microscopy (NAP-PEEM) and micro-region X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (μ-XPS).
- Incorporated in situ mass spectrometry for gas analysis.
Main Results:
- Visualized oxygen spillover from YSZ electrolyte onto the Ag anode.
- Observed long-range silver migration driven by spilled-over oxygen and electric field distribution.
- Demonstrated that anode restructuring enhances the oxygen evolution reaction by increasing active triple-phase boundaries (TPBs).
Conclusions:
- Electric field and oxygen spillover are coupled mechanisms governing anode activation in solid oxide cells.
- These findings provide mechanistic insights for designing improved interfaces in high-temperature electrochemical systems.
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