High performance cathode-supported SOFC with perovskite anode operating in weakly humidified hydrogen and methane

A high performance cathode-supported solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC), suitable for operating in weakly humidified hydrogen and methane, has been developed. The SOFC is essentially made up by a YSZ/LSM composite supporting cathode, a thin YSZ film electrolyte, and a GDC-impregnated La0.75Sr0.25Cr0.5Mn0.5O3 (LSCM) anode. A gas tight thin YSZ film (similar to 27 mu m) was formed during the co-sintering of cathode/electrolyte bi-layer at 1200 degrees C. The cathode-supported SOFC developed in this study showed encouraging performance with maximum power density of 0.182, 0.419, 0.628 and 0.818 W cm(-2) in air/3% H2O-97% H-2 (and 0.06, 0.158, 0.221 and 0.352 W cm(-2) in air/3% H2O-97% CH4) at 750, 800, 850 and 900 degrees C, respectively. Such performance is close to that of the cathode-supported cell (0.42 W cm(-2) VS. 0.455 W cm(-2) in humidified H, at 800 degrees C) developed by Yamahara et at. [Solid State Ionics 176 (2005) 451-456] with a Co-infiltrated supporting LSM-YSZ cathode, a (SC2O3)(0.1)(Y2O3)(0.01)(ZrO2)(0.89) (SYSZ) electrolyte of 15 Pin in thickness and a SYSZ/Ni anode, indicating that the performance of the GDC-impregnated LSCM anode is comparable to that made of Ni cermet while stable in weakly humidified methane fuel. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.