A rational design of highly active and coke-resistant anode for methanol-fueled solid oxide fuel cells with Sn doped Ni-Ce0.8Sm0.2O2−δ

A crucial challenge in the commercialization of Ni-based materials as the anode of solid oxide fuel cell is the fast voltage drop due to carbon deposition and structural degradation during cell operation. Herein, Sn-doped Ce 0.8 Sm 0.2 O 2−δ (SDC) supported Sn-Ni alloy anode is rationally designed and prepared, via a simple and convenient dual-modification strategy. The substitution of Sn of Ce in the oxide phase enhances the mobility of lattice oxygen in SDC. Meanwhile, Sn exsolves partially from the oxide phase and forms Ni 3 Sn and Ni 3 Sn 2 intermetallic compounds with Ni after reduction. The composite anode thus formed achieves unprecedent activity in the electrochemical oxidation of H 2 and CH 3 OH. The maximum power densities of a cell supported by 500 μm-thick Ce 0.8 Sm 0.2 O 2−δ -carbonate electrolyte layer with the Ni-Ce 0.7 Sn 0.1 Sm 0.2 O 2−δ (Ni-SSn 10 DC) anode reach 1.99 and 2.11 W cm −2 at 700 °C, respectively for using H 2 and methanol as fuels. The doping of Sn also remarkably enhances the coking resistance of the anode. This work opens a path on the design of high-performance SOFC anode.