Porous YSZ impregnated with La0.4Sr0.5Ba0.1TiO3 as a possible composite anode for SOFCs fueled with sour feeds

• Published in: Journal of power sources Vol. 215; pp. 301 - 306
• Main Authors: Vincent, Adrien L., Hanifi, Amir R., Luo, Jing-Li, Chuang, Karl T., Sanger, Alan R., Etsell, Thomas H., Sarkar, Partha
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier B.V 01.10.2012; Elsevier
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Direct energy conversion and energy accumulation; Electrical engineering. Electrical power engineering; Electrical power engineering; Electrochemical conversion: primary and secondary batteries, fuel cells; Energy; Energy. Thermal use of fuels; Equipments for energy generation and conversion: thermal, electrical, mechanical energy, etc; Exact sciences and technology; Fuel cells; Impregnation; La0.4Sr0.5Ba0.1TiO3; Materials; Microstructure; Perovskite; Porous YSZ; SOFC; Impregnation; Perovskite; La0.4Sr0.5Ba0.1TiO3; Microstructure; Porous YSZ; SOFC; Performance evaluation; Power density; Anode; Perovskite type compound; Active site; Electrode material; Porous material; Solid oxide fuel cell; Composite material; Impregnated material; La; Fuel feed; TiO; Sulfur; Ceramic materials; Electrical impedance; Ba; Stabilized zirconia; Electrical measurement; Manufacturing process; Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy; Sr
• ISSN: 0378-7753; 1873-2755
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jpowsour.2012.04.063

The system LSBT/YSZ (LSBT is La0.4Sr0.5Ba0.1TiO3) is a promising combination as an anode material for full ceramic SOFCs. An anode comprising a porous layer of YSZ impregnated with LSBT shows good performance for conversion of high sulfur content fuels. The microstructures within the composite matrix were determined and correlated with the parameters of the production process. The anodes were characterized electrochemically using impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and potentiodynamic tests performed at 850 °C with various fuels to determine the effect of H2S in the feeds: H2, H2/H2S (5000 ppm), CH4, CH4/H2S (5000 ppm). The highest power densities (200 mW cm−2 in H2/H2S) were obtained for LSBT/YSZ composites after impregnation six times with LSBT, corresponding to 12.6 wt% LSBT; further impregnations dramatically decreased performance as a result of restricted access of fuel to active sites. ► The catalytic activity of the anodes increased with the amount of LSBT up to an optimum value. ► H2S promotes the hydrogen and the methane activation on LSBT. ► Impregnation is a better choice for anode preparations than powder mixtures. ► The fuel mixture Methane H2S, can provides a very high power density compared to respective single gases. ► The impregnation process allows construction of anode supported SOFC membranes.