Solid oxide fuel cells reducing operation temperature

Lang M, Franco T, Schiller G, and Wagner N. Electrochemical characterization of vacuum plasma sprayed thin-film solid oxide fuel cells (SOFC) for reduced operating temperatures. J. Appl. Electrochem. 2002 32 871-874. 

In fuel cells, the combustion energy of hydrocarbons can be converted directly into electrical energy. At the fuel cell anode, the hydrocarbon is in most cases converted to carbon dioxide because the intermediates are more easily oxidized than the starting hydrocarbon (Eq. 9a) at the fuel cell cathode oxygen is reduced to water (Eq. 9b). Most fuel cell research has involved the use of hydrogen as fuel. However, solid oxide fuels cells (SOCFs) can operate at higher temperature and can... 

The solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) have been under development during several decades since it was discovered by Baur and Preis in 1937. In order to commercialise this high temperature (600 - 1000°C) fuel cell it is necessary to reduce the costs of fabrication and operation. Here ceria-based materials are of potential interest because doped ceria may help to decrease the internal electrical resistance of the SOFC by reducing the polarisation resistance in both the fuel and the air electrode. Further, the possibility of using less pre-treatment and lower water (steam) partial pressure in the natural gas feed due to lower susceptibility to coke formation on ceria containing fuel electrodes (anodes) may simplify the balance of plant of the fuel cell system, and finally it is anticipated that ceria based anodes will be less sensitive to poising from fuel impurities such as sulphur. 

Decreasing operation temperature of solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) and electrocatalytic reactors down to 800-1100 K requires developments of novel materials for electrodes and catalytic layers, applied onto the surface of solid electrolyte or mixed conducting membranes, with a high performance at reduced temperatures. Highly-dispersed active oxide powders can be prepared and deposited using various techniques, such as spray pyrolysis, sol-gel method, co-precipitation, electron beam deposition etc. However, most of these methods are relatively expensive or based on the use of complex equipment. This makes it necessary to search for alternative synthesis and porous-layer processing routes, enabling to decrease the costs of electrochemical cells. Recently, one synthesis technique based on the use... 

M. Lang, T. Franco, G. Schiller, and N. Wagner [2002] Electrochemical Characterization of Vacuum Plasma Sprayed Thin-Film Solid Oxide Fuel Cells (SOFC) for Reduced Operating Temperatures, J. Appl. Electrochem. 32, 871-874. 

T., and Yakabe, H. (2002) Development of Anode-Supported SOFC with Metallic Interconnectors for Reduced-Temperature Operation, in Proceedings of the Fifth European Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Forum, Vol. 2,... 

Single-chamber solid oxide fuel cells (SC-SOFCs) have attracted considerable attention in recent years as they have the potential to reduce the material and manufacturing costs of SOFCs [1,2], SC-SOFCs are operated with a feed mixture of fuel and oxidant gas, which no longer require the use of expensive and voluminous gas separators and high-temperature gas sealing... 

---