Sungkyunkwan University Engineers Target Interfacial Contact Resistance in Clean Energy Cells
The approach significantly improves both the energy efficiency and durability of next-generation clean energy devices.
Protonic ceramic electrochemical cells operate in two modes within a single system. Because PCECs operate efficiently at lower temperatures than conventional devices, they draw attention as a key technology for the future hydrogen economy.
Contact Coverage as a Design Parameter
This creates undesirable interfacial contact resistance, preventing the materials from realizing their intrinsic performance. To determine how contact area affects this resistance, the research team fabricated experimental model cells with varying degrees of contact and conducted detailed analyses.
Through this analysis, researchers identified contact coverage as a key design parameter governing cell performance, according to Asia Research News.
Electrostatic Spray Deposition for Nanometer Interlayers
To implement this principle in real cells, the team applied electrostatic spray deposition (ESD), a technique using electrostatic forces to uniformly spray microscopic liquid droplets onto a surface.
Alternative Fuels and Industrial Scalability
Furthermore, the process enabled uniform fabrication on large-area substrates, demonstrating potential for industrial-scale commercialization beyond the laboratory.
Lee added that the research team expects the technology to apply widely to large-scale clean energy power plants, hydrogen-powered vehicles, and eco-friendly energy storage systems.
Funding and Support for PCEC Development
The research received support from multiple Korean government bodies and programs. Funding sources include a National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) grant funded by the Ministry of Science and ICT (MSIT) under grant number 2022R1A2C3012372, and the Nano & Material Technology Development Program through the NRF funded by the MSIT under grant number RS-2024-00448287. Additional support came from an NRF grant funded by MSIT and the Ministry of Education (MOE) under grant number RS-2026-25501632, alongside the Institutional Research Program of KRICT under grant number KK2513-30.
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