Intermediate temperature solid oxide fuel cells with Cu 1.3Mn 1.7O 4 internal reforming layer

Abstract

Cu 1.3Mn 1.7O 4 (CMO) spinel catalyst has been synthesized and characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and temperature-programmed reduction (TPR) techniques. XRD and SEM results show that well dispersed fine Cu metallic particles were obtained after reduction by methane. TPR result shows that Cu 1.3Mn 1.7O 4–SDC has lower hydrogen consumption and exhibits better catalytic activity than the conventional Ni catalyst. As a result, Cu 1.3Mn 1.7O 4 spinel catalyst has been successfully developed as an internal reforming layer for Ni–SDC anode-supported solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) directly operating with methane as the fuel. The cell has demonstrated maximum power densities of 304 and 375 mW cm −2 at 650 and 700 °C, respectively, and has been successfully operated at a constant current load of 0.6 A cm −2 at 650 °C over 80 h using methane as the fuel and ambient air as the oxidant. No significant carbon deposition has been observed at selected regions of the Ni–SDC anode after the short-term operating of the cell using methane as the fuel. Using methane as the fuel, the cell with Cu 1.3Mn 1.7O 4 internal reforming layer exhibits similar reaction mechanism to that of H 2 oxidation on the Ni–YSZ anode.