SYMPOSIUM 3: 24th International Symposium on Solid Oxide Cells (SOC): Materials, Science and Technology

Solid oxide cells (SOCs) are at a pivotal transition from laboratory development to industrial-scale deployment, driven by rapidly growing demand for power generation, hydrogen, and synthetic fuels. Solid Oxide Cells operated as fuel cell offer unique opportunity for clean and efficient power generation and by operating them as electrolysis cell provides highly energy efficient pathways to hydrogen (steam electrolysis) and syngas (co-electrolysis). Durable electrochemical energy conversion in SOC is only possible by proper material choice and processing, cells stacking technologies and stack module design. Recent commercial agreements for data center power and megawatt-scale electrolysis demonstrations mark a new era for SOC technology. Application of SOC in scalable systems for power, heat, hydrogen and synthetic gas generation requires serious consideration of the stack operating window, operating environment, contaminants sources/level and customer specifications to realize competitive solutions. Emerging AI/ML-enabled approaches for manufacturing optimization, process control, in-line monitoring, digital twins, quality assurance, and predictive diagnostics are also gaining increasing interest for accelerating SOC scale-up and deployment. 

This symposium provides an excellent platform for academia and industry to present and discuss novel solutions for materials, components design, mechanical robustness, durability, system layouts and exchange their experience in application of SOCs in different areas. The goal of the symposium is not only the exchange of recent results by experienced and young scientists but also extensive discussion of unsolved problems and development directions. Contributions from both established and early-career researchers working at the intersection of materials science, electrochemistry, and data-driven engineering are particularly welcome. 

Proposed Session Topics 

• Electrolytes and ionic conductors: oxygen ion, proton and mixed conductors; conduction mechanisms and material development 

• Electrode materials and interfaces: electrode processes, defect chemistry, microstructural engineering, surface and interfacial reactions, poisoning, degradation mechanisms, accelerated testing and characterization, exsolution, nanostructured infiltration 

• Interconnects, seals and joining technologies: ceramic/metallic interconnects; sealing and brazing technologies; materials development, coatings, interactions, and reliability 

• Advanced In-Situ/Operando Characterization: AI-enhanced imaging, multi-modal operando sensing, and high-temperature XRD 

• Cell and stack design, processing, and fabrication: novel manufacturing methods: additive manufacturing, thin-film and roll-to-roll processing for cells, stacks, reformers, burners and other system components 

• AI-Driven Materials Discovery & Informatics: Autonomous Research Laboratories (ARLs), generative AI for materials design, high-throughput experimental (HTE) data management, and digital twins 

• AI/ML-Assisted Manufacturing & Operations: Process optimization, in-line monitoring, quality control, surrogate modeling, digital twins, and predictive maintenance 

• High-Availability Power for AI & Data Centers: Ultra-fast dynamic response, direct-DC power architectures, thermal management, reliability physics, and prognostics 

• Sustainability, Circularity, and Supply Chain Resilience: Critical mineral reduction, end-of-life recycling, and Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) 

• Mechanical and thermomechanical properties: mechanical integrity and durability of materials and components under high-temperature operation, thermal and redox cycles 

• Modelling and simulation: electrochemical performance, thermomechanical stresses and degradation modelling; simulation of temperature distribution, stress, and current distribution in cells, stacks, and systems, multi-scale and physics-based approaches 

• High-temperature electrolysis, Power-to-X, and e-fuel production: steam and CO₂ electrolysis, co-electrolysis of H₂O and CO₂, syngas/e-fuel production, e-ammonia, purity of inlet and outlet streams and their purification, carbon capture and utilization (CCU), thermochemical coupling with industrial and nuclear heat sources, system integration and chemical process engineering 

• Reversible solid oxide cells and energy storage: bidirectional operation, round-trip efficiency, coupling with renewable energy sources, grid balancing, and seasonal energy storage 

• System integration, commercial deployment, and emerging applications: system architecture, dynamic operation, techno-economic analysis, field data and fleet operation experience, degradation management in deployed systems, and applications including data centers, industrial decarbonization, and marine power 

Symposium Organizers 

• Xingbo Liu (Lead Organizer), West Virginia University, USA  

• Mihails Kusnezoff, Fraunhofer Institute for Ceramic Technologies and Systems, Germany  

• Federico Smeacetto, Politecnico di Torino, Italy  

• Tae Ho Shin, Korea Institute of Ceramic Engineering & Technology, Republic of Korea  

• Scott A. Barnett, Northwestern University, USA  

• John Hardy, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, USA  

• Henrik Lund Frandsen, DTU Energy Conversion and Storage, Denmark  

• Prabhakar Singh, University of Connecticut, USA  

• Sebastian Molin, Gdansk University of Technology, Poland  

• Julie Mougin, French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission, France  

• Vincenzo Esposito, DTU Energy Conversion and Storage, Denmark  

• Chien-Kuo Liu, National Atomic Research Institute, Taiwan 

• Tatsumi Ishihara, Kyushu University, Japan  

• Toshiaki Matsui, Kyoto University, Japan  

• Aline Leon, European Institute for Energy Research, Germany  

• Luca Mastropasqua, University of Wisconsin-Madison, USA 

• Jong Hoon Joo, Gwangju Institute of Science Technology, Republic of Korea 

Points of Contact 

• Xingbo Liu; Xingbo.Liu@mail.wvu.edu  

• Mihails Kusnezoff; mihails.kusnezoff@ikts.fraunhofer.de 

• John Hardy; John.Hardy@pnnl.gov