A direct CH4 metal-supported solid oxide fuel cell with an engineered Ni/Gd-doped CeO2 anode containing Ni and MnO nanoparticles

NiMn2O4 (NMO) coated Gd-doped CeO2 (GDC) and NiO powders are prepared by a hydrothermal method for the anode of a metal (Ni-10 at.% Fe)-supported solid oxide fuel cell fueled by wet CH4 (3 vol.% H2O). NMO remains on NiO but dissolves into GDC at 1400 C. Upon reduction in H-2 at 700 degrees C for 2 h, Ni nanoparticles exsolve on the doped-CeO2 (DCO) substrate (DCO@Ni), while MnO nanoparticles form on Ni (Ni@MnO). DCO@Ni demonstrates high catalytic activity for reforming wet CH4 and high resistance to carbon deposition with a yield of H-2 increasing from 11 (500 degrees C) to 33 (700 degrees C) ml min(-1) and remaining around 25 ml min(-1) at 600 degrees C for 30 h. The metal-supported single-cell with a Ni@MnO-DCO@Ni anode shows high initial and durable electrochemical performance with a maximum power density increasing from 160 (500 degrees C) to 720 (700 degrees C) mW cm(-2) and a cell voltage remaining above 0.55 V at 600 degrees C for 200 h under 400 mA cm(-2) and 20 ml min(-1). Such high performance is ascribed to the metal support with low ohmic resistance and the engineered anode with high catalytic activity and enhanced resistance to carbon deposition.

Automated summary

In this study, NiMn2O4 (NMO) coated Gd-doped CeO2 (GDC) and NiO powders were prepared for the anode of a metal-supported solid oxide fuel cell fueled by wet CH4. The anode showed high catalytic activity, resistance to carbon deposition, and demonstrated high hydrogen production capability, leading to superior electrochemical performance.