Ru-catalyzed anode materials for direct hydrocarbon SOFCs

• Published in: Electrochimica acta Vol. 48; no. 17; pp. 2531 - 2537
• Main Authors: Hibino, Takashi, Hashimoto, Atsuko, Yano, Masaya, Suzuki, Masanori, Sano, Mitsuru
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Ltd 15.07.2003; Elsevier
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Ceria-based electrolyte; Energy; Energy. Thermal use of fuels; Equipments for energy generation and conversion: thermal, electrical, mechanical energy, etc; Exact sciences and technology; Fuel cells; Hydrocarbon fuels; Hydrocarbon reforming; Ru catalyst; SOFC; Hydrocarbon fuels; Hydrocarbon reforming; Ru catalyst; Ceria-based electrolyte; SOFC; Cerium Oxides; Methane; Voltage current curve; Hydrocarbon; Solid electrolyte; Doped materials; Gadolinium; Electrode material; Solid oxide fuel cell; Ethane; Electrocatalysis; Ruthenium IV Oxides; Performance; Catalyst activity; Propane; Electrical impedance
• ISSN: 0013-4686; 1873-3859
• DOI: 10.1016/S0013-4686(03)00296-2

A solid oxide fuel cell using a thin ceria-based electrolyte film with a Ru-catalyzed anode was directly operated on hydrocarbons, including methane, ethane, and propane, at 600 °C. The role of the Ru catalyst in the anode reaction was to promote the reforming reaction of the unreacted hydrocarbons by the produced steam and CO 2, which avoided interference from steam and CO 2 in the gas-phase diffusion of the fuels. The resulting peak power density reached 750 mW cm −2 with dry methane, which was comparable to the peak power density of 769 mW cm −2 with wet (2.9 vol.% H 2O) hydrogen. More important was the fact that the cell performance was maintained at a high level regardless of the change in the methane utilization from 12 to 46% but was significantly reduced by increasing the hydrogen utilization from 13 to 42%. While the anodic reaction of hydrogen was controlled by the slow gas diffusion, the anodic reaction of methane was not subject to the onset of such a gas-diffusion process.