Ultrathin atomic layer deposition oxide coatings for suppressing Ni dissolution and enhancing stability in molten carbonate electrolysis cells

초록

Molten carbonate electrolysis cells (MCECs) are high-temperature electrochemical systems that require lower activation energy than low-temperature electrolysis systems and can achieve high performance without expensive catalysts. However, MCECs suffer from degradation at the electrode–electrolyte interface, leading to the dissolution of Ni2+ ions into the electrolyte and subsequent performance deterioration. To mitigate these issues, atomic layer deposition (ALD) is employed to deposit thin and uniform oxide films, such as Al2O3 and ZrO2, onto the anode surface. The ALD oxide coatings significantly reduce Ni dissolution in molten carbonate electrolytes at 650 °C, with the Al2O3 coating showing a reduction of approximately 65% and the ZrO2 coating achieving a reduction of approximately 35% compared to the uncoated anode. In addition, the Al2O3-coated anode exhibits stable performance for 500 h with a reduced degradation rate compared to the uncoated anode. These results indicate that ALD oxide coatings effectively enhance electrode stability by suppressing Ni dissolution and preserving electrode structure. This approach is expected to contribute to improving the durability of MCECs under high-temperature operating conditions. © 2026 Published by Elsevier B.V.

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