Direct CH4 fuel cell using Sr2FeMoO6 as an anode material

A double-perovskite Sr2FeMoO6 (SFMO) has been synthesized with a combined citrate-EDTA complexing method. The material shows a double-perovskite structure after reduction in 5% H-2/Ar at 1100 degrees C for 20h. A single fuel cell using this material as anode is constructed with the configuration of SFMO vertical bar La0.8Sr0.2Ga0.83Mg0.17O3 vertical bar Ba0.5Sr0.5Co0.8Fe0.2O3. The cell exhibits a remarkable electrochemical activity in both H-2 and dry CH4, respectively. With Oxygen as oxidant, the maximum power density is 863.7 mW cm(-2) with H-2 as the fuel and 604.8 mW cm(-2) with dry CH4 as the fuel at 850 degrees C, respectively. SFMO has an almost linear thermal expansion coefficient from 30 to 900 degrees C and is very close to that of La0.8Sr0.2Ga0.83Mg0.17O3. A durability test of the single cell indicates that SFMO is stable in dry CH4 operation. Therefore SFMO can be recommended as a promising anode material for LaGaO3-based solid oxide fuel cells operating with both H-2 and dry CH4. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.