Gasoline-fueled solid oxide fuel cell with high power density

• Published in: Journal of power sources Vol. 268; pp. 546 - 549
• Main Authors: XIAOXUE HOU, MARIN-FLORES, Oscar, BYEONG WAN KWON, JINSOO KIM, GRANT NORTON, M, SU HA
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier 05.12.2014
• Subjects: Anodes; Applied sciences; Crude oil, natural gas and petroleum products; Density; Direct energy conversion and energy accumulation; Electric potential; Electric power generation; 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; Fuels; Gasoline; Materials; Prospecting and production of crude oil, natural gas, oil shales and tar sands; Solid oxide fuel cells; Voltage; Power density; Solid oxide fuel cells; Anode; High density; Electrode material; MoO; Solid oxide fuel cell; Internal fuel reforming; High power; Gasoline; based anodes; Oxidation of premium gasoline; Oxidation; Molybdenum Oxides; Electrical characteristic
• ISSN: 0378-7753; 1873-2755
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jpowsour.2014.06.038

This short communication describes the performance of a solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) fueled by directly feeding premium gasoline to the anode without using external reforming. The novel component of the fuel cell that enables such operation is the mixed conductivity MoO sub(2)-based anode. Using this anode, a fuel cell demonstrating a power density >3.0 W cm super(-2) at 0.6 V was successfully fabricated. Over a 24 h period of operation, the open cell voltage remained stable at -0.9 V. At the cell voltage of 0.6 V, its current density dropped over the first 7 h to a value of -3.0 A cm super(-2), where it stayed for the remaining 17 h of the test with a minor fluctuation. Power density of -2.0 W cm super(-2) at 0.6 V was still measured after 24 h on stream with a continuous feed of gasoline. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) examination of the anode surface pre- and post-testing showed no evidence of coking, which hints at the reason for the observed stability under the harsh cell operating conditions. The implication of this preliminary study is that an SOFC using a MoO sub(2)-based anode has potential for generating electrical power from gasoline for future hybrid electric vehicles.