METASIS – Solid Oxide Steam Electrolyser

Introduction

METASIS is an EPSRC-funded research programme (METASIS - EP/W033178/1, £300k, 2022-23; METASIS 2.0 - UKRI3156, £800k, 2025-27) advancing next-generation solid oxide steam electrolyser (SOSE) technology for clean hydrogen production. Led by Robert Gordon University in collaboration with University of Surrey, Aston University, and UK National Nuclear Laboratory (UKNNL), national/international, academic and industrial project partners, the project focuses on innovative metasurface-engineered tubular designs, advanced ceramic manufacturing, and high-temperature performance evaluation.

Our work supports the UK’s transition to net zero by developing efficient, scalable systems capable of delivering low-carbon hydrogen for industrial and energy applications. This ambitious research programme is in line with the UK, European Union, and other countries’ target of achieving net-zero carbon by 2050. It contributes to delivering EPSRC’s Engineering Net Zero (ENZ) priority.

Our vision is directly aligned with the UK Hydrogen Strategy (2021), Net Zero Strategy (2021) and British Energy Security Strategy (2022).

 

Project Overview

METASIS project is pioneering meta-structural tubular solid oxide steam electrolysis (SOSE) system for operations up to 950 °C temperature range, that will produce clean hydrogen using electricity and heat from renewable and nuclear sources. Our current research addresses:

1. functional material development, characterisation and experimental analysis of the SOSE performance,
2. modelling, fabrication and testing of the modular SOSE unit,
3. life cycle and techno-economic assessment to analyse the viability of SOSE for commercial applications,
4. benchmarking nuclear steam deployment for SOSE & stakeholder engagement.

Through METASIS project (EP/W033178/1), we conducted a range of basic designs, simulations, materials selection, manufacturing, and performance testing. The study led to the development of a single tubular steam electrolyser unit by using porous metal (stainless steel, titanium) tubes as the supporting layer. In addition, thermomechanical stress analysis contributed to further improvements in the overall design of tubular solid oxide steam electrolysis (SOSE) cells and, therefore, potential impact on reducing time-to-market for steam technology. The choice of multi-materials and metasurface fabrication methods (thermal spray coating, dip coating, electrochemical deposition) used in METASIS played a crucial role in achieving the desired properties and overall cell performance. Findings highlighted key relationships between microstructure, material choice, and electrochemical performance, as well as challenges related to durability and scale-up. 

Manufacturing SOSE electrolysers is still a technological challenge. These challenges span across engineering materials, system integration, multi-layer manufacturing processes, scalability and stack design, lifetime and degradation, technology readiness level (TRL), efficiency optimisation and cost effective. To build confidence across the sector and exploit a market opportunity, tackling materials and manufacturing-related issues, including engagement with stakeholders, will be a crucial enabler for further development in METASIS 2.0 (UKRI3156). 

METASIS strengthens the UK's clean hydrogen capability by developing components compatible with nuclear, geothermal, industrial waste heat, and renewables. In this research, we are developing the technology that could increase the potential of new nuclear to drive decarbonisation and exploring approaches to reduce the cost and carbon footprint of hydrogen production. 

Project Team

METASIS 2.0 (UKRI3156): Investigators & researchers

• Prof Nadimul Faisal (lead), Robert Gordon University
• Prof Mamdud Hossain (co-lead), Robert Gordon University
• Dr Anil Prathuru (co-lead), Robert Gordon University
• Dr Bahman Amini Horri (co-lead), University of Surrey
• Dr Amirpiran Amiri (co-lead), Aston University
• Dr Mark Bankhead (co-lead), UK National Nuclear Laboratory (UKNNL)

METASIS (EP/W033178/1): Investigators & researchers

• Prof Nadimul Faisal (lead), Robert Gordon University
• Prof Mamdud Hossain (co-lead), Robert Gordon University
• Dr Anil Prathuru (co-lead), Robert Gordon University
• Dr Bahman Amini Horri (co-lead), University of Surrey
• Prof Qiong Cai (co-lead), University of Surrey
• Dr Victoria Kurushina (post-doctoral), Robert Gordon University
• Dr Ajith Kumar Soman (post-doctoral), University of Surrey
• Vinooth Rajendran (research assistant), Robert Gordon University

Publications / Outputs

A full list is available through RGU’s OpenAIR repository (METASIS, EP/W033178/1).

Journals

1. Victoria Kurushina, Mamdud Hossain, Syafawati Hasbi, Ajith Soman, Anil Prathuru, Qiong Cai, Bahman Amini Horri, Nadimul Haque Faisal, Modelling metasurface patterned anode for enhanced performance of solid oxide electrolyser, Journal of Power Sources, 648, 2025, 237436; https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpowsour.2025.237436
2. Ajith Kumar Soman, Victoria Kurushina, Anil Prathuru, Mamdud Hossain, Nadimul Haque Faisal, Qiong Cai, Bahman Amini Horri, Fabrication and characterisation of electrodeposited silver current collectors for metal-supported solid oxide electrolysis cells, Journal of Alloys and Compounds, 1038, 2025, 182868; https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jallcom.2025.182868
3. Victoria Kurushina, Anil Prathuru, Ajith Soman, Mamdud Hossain, Qiong Cai, Bahman Amini Horri, Nadimul Haque Faisal, Cohesive zone model for the thermomechanical deformation of a high temperature tubular solid oxide electrolysis cell, Engineering Fracture Mechanics, 318, 2025, 110987; https://doi.org/10.1016/j.engfracmech.2025.110987
4. Nadimul Haque Faisal, Vinooth Rajendran, Anil Prathuru, Mamdud Hossain, Ramkumar Muthukrishnan, Yakubu Balogun, Ketan Pancholi, Tanvir Hussain, Siddharth Lokachari, Bahman Amini Horri, Mark Bankhead, Thermal spray coatings for molten salt facing structural parts and enabling opportunities for thermochemical cycle electrolysis, Engineering Reports, 6(9), e12947, 2024; https://doi.org/10.1002/eng2.12947
5. Nadimul Haque Faisal, Anil Prathuru, Rehan Ahmed, Vinooth Rajendran, Mamdud Hossain, Viswanathan Venkatachalapathy, Nirmal Kumar Katiyar, Jing Li, Yuheng Liu, Qiong Cai, Bahman Amini Horri, Dhinesh Thanganadar, Gurpreet Singh Sodhi, Kumar Patchigolla, Carlos Fernandez, Shrikant Joshi, Sivakumar Govindarajan, Victoria Kurushina, Sai Katikaneni, Saurav Goel, Application of thermal spray coatings in electrolysers for hydrogen production: advances, challenges, and opportunities, ChemNanoMat8, 2022, e202200384; https://doi.org/10.1002/cnma.202200384)

Conference Proceedings

1. Victoria Kurushina, Mamdud Hossain, Anil Prathuru, Ajith Soman, Bahman Amini Horri, Qiong Cai, Nadimul Faisal, Metasurface-engineered anode for solid oxide electrolysis cells, Proceedings of the 36th Thermal and fluid analysis workshop 2025 (TFAWS 2025), 4-7 August 2025, San Jose, CA, USA. Washington: NASA [online]; https://tfaws.app/proceedings
2. Victoria Kurushina, Vinooth Rajendran, Anil Prathuru, Mamdud Hossain, Nadimul Faisal, Ajith Soman, Bahman Amini Horri, Qiong Cai, Thermomechanical deformation analysis of a tubular solid oxide  steam electrolysis cell, Thermal & Fluids Analysis Workshop (TFAWS2023) Proceedings, 21-25 August 2023 (https://tfaws.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/TFAWS23-ID-7-Paper.pdf)

Conference presentations & posters

1. Mamdud Hossain*, Nadimul Faisal, Anil Prathuru, Victoria Kurushina, Vinooth Rajendran, Qiong Cai, Bahman Horri, Ajith Soman, Introduction to hydrogen and hydrogen economy: opportunities and challenges. Keynote presented at the 4th International conference on sustainable energy, environment and green technologies 2024 (ICSEEGT 2024), 9-10 August 2024, Jaipur, India; https://rgu-repository.worktribe.com/output/2440830 [oral presentation]Victoria Kurushina*, Vinooth Rajendran, Anil Prathuru, Mamdud Hossain, Nadimul Faisal, Ajith Soman, Bahman Amini Horri, Qiong Cai, Thermomechanical deformation analysis of a tubular solid oxide steam electrolysis cell, Thermal and Fluids Analysis Workshop (TFAWS), 21-25 August 2023; https://tfaws.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/TFAWS23-ID-7-Presentation.pdf [oral presentation]
2. Mamdud Hossain*, Nadimul Faisal, Anil Prathuru, Victoria Kurushina, Vinooth Rajendran, Qiong Cai, Bahman Horri, Ajith Soman, Scalable metamaterial thermally sprayed catalyst coatings for nuclear reactor high temperature solid oxide steam electrolysis. Presented at the 1st IUT (Islamic University of Technology) International Conference on Mechanical, Material and Production Engineering 2023 (IUT-ICMMPE 2023), 21-22 July 2023, Gaziput, Dhaka. https://rgu-repository.worktribe.com/output/2023163 [oral presentation]
3. Victoria Kurushina*, Ajith Soman, Vinooth Rajendran, Anil Prathuru, Mamdud Hossain, Bahman Amini Horri, Qiong Cai, Nadimul Faisal, Modelling, optimisation and analysis of tubular high temperature solid oxide steam electrolysis cell. Presented at the 36th Scottish Fluid Mechanics Meetings, 24 May 2023, Glasgow, UK. https://rgu-repository.worktribe.com/output/1977573 [poster presentation]
4. Victoria Kurushina*, Ajith Soman, Vinooth Rajendran, Anil Prathuru, Mamdud Hossain, Bahman Amini Horri, Qiong Cai, Nadimul Faisal, Tubular high temperature solid oxide steam electrolysis cell, Scotland's Hydrogen Economy & the Chemical Sciences, 23 May 2023, University of St. Andrews [poster presentation]
5. Vinooth Rajendran*, Ramkumar Muthukrishnan, Yakubu Balogun, Victoria Kurushina, Anil Prathuru, Mamdud Hossain, Nadimul Faisal, Materials and meta-data for thermochemical electrolysis. Presented at the 2023 Scotland's hydrogen economy and the chemical sciences, 23 May 2023, St Andrews, UK. https://rgu-repository.worktribe.com/output/1972755 [poster presentation]
6. Victoria Kurushina*, Ajith Soman, Vinooth Rajendran, Anil Prathuru, Mamdud Hossain, Bahman Horri, Qiong Cai, Nadimul Faisal, Modelling, optimisation and analysis of tubular high temperature solid oxide steam electrolysis cell. Presented at the 2023 All-Energy and Decarbonise Conference, 10-11 May 2023, Glasgow, UK. https://rgu-repository.worktribe.com/output/1965805 [poster presentation]>
7. Victoria Kurushina*, Ajith Soman, Vinooth Rajendran, Anil Prathuru, Mamdud Hossain, Bahman Horri, Qiong Cai, Nadimul Faisal, Structural design and analysis of a high temperature solid oxide steam tubular electrolyser. Presented at the 2023 All Things Hydrogen Conference (ATH23) [online], 14 March 2023, Aberdeen, UK. Available from: https://web.archive.org/web/20230328154606/https://www.allthingshydrogen.co.uk/copy-of-speakers; https://rgu-repository.worktribe.com/output/1924818 [oral presentation]

Funding & Partners

• Funding: Funding for METASIS is provided by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) as part of the UK’s broader strategic investment in clean hydrogen technologies, via the METASIS 2.0 (UKRI3156) and METASIS (EP/W033178/1) grants.
• Project partners: Ceres Power, Sizewell C, QinetiQ, We Are Nium, Severn Thermal Solutions Limited, CPH2, C-Capture, ETZ Ltd, Delta H Consulting Ltd, UKAEA Joint Chair in Materials for Fusion (University of Birmingham), Centre of Excellence in Coatings & Surface Engineering (University of Nottingham), Dalton Nuclear Institute (University of Manchester), Brilliant Energy Institute (Ontario Tech University), UK-HyRES, Energy Research Accelerator (ERA), ScotCHEM, UK Metamaterials Network (UKMMN), Hydrogen Scotland, Henry Royce Institute, Engin-X (STFC), Surrey's Ion Beam Centre (UKNIBC).

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