



Proton conducting ceramic electrolysis cells (PCCELs), an advanced variant of solid oxide electrolysis cells (SOECs), enable the direct production of hydrogen through steam electrolysis using proton-conducting electrolytes. Unlike conventional SOECs, which rely on oxygen ion (O²?) conductors, PCCELs operate at lower temperatures (~400–600?°C vs. 750–850?°C for SOECs) due to their higher proton conductivity. This lower operating temperature helps reduce material degradation and overall system costs. While SOEC technology has reached industrial maturity, with large-scale deployment projects underway, the development of PCCELs remains limited by several scientific challenges. These include the difficulty of densifying electrolytes (such as BaCeO3–BaZrO3) without barium volatilization during high-temperature sintering; the proton transport limitations posed by grain boundaries; and the poor control of electrode–electrolyte interfaces. This thesis aims to improve the faradaic efficiency of PCCELs by optimizing the microstructure of the electrolyte and engineering high-quality interfaces through targeted surface treatments. The methodology includes cell fabrication, interface engineering, and electrochemical evaluation. The ultimate goal is to establish robust and scalable processing protocols that enable PCCELs to achieve faradaic efficiencies above 95%, compatible with industrial-scale deployment.

