High performance and carbon-deposition resistance metal-supported solid oxide fuel cell with a nickel–manganese spinel modified anode

To achieve high performance and carbon-deposition resistance, solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) with a nickel-10 wt% iron alloy support, a 10 wt% gadolinium doped cerium oxide electrolyte (GDC), a La 0.6 Sr 0.4 Co 0.2 Fe 0.8 O 3 -GDC (LSCF-GDC) cathode, and a Ni-GDC anode with (modified anode cell, MAC) or without (conventional anode cell, CAC) NiMn 2 O 4 modification are prepared and evaluated with H 2 and CH 4 fuels. During the cell fabrication, the GDC in the anode of MAC is doped by Mn and Fe through reaction with NiMn 2 O 4 and Fe diffusion from the support with increased electrical conductivity and catalytic activity; and the Ni granules in the anode is decorated with fine MnO particles, which increases their porosity and resistance to agglomeration and carbon deposition. As a result, MAC demonstrates higher performance and durability than CAC, with a maximum power density of 1278 and 1208 mW cm −2 at 700 °C with H 2 and CH 4 as the fuel, respectively, in contrast to 998 and 895 mW cm −2 for CAC. And the cell voltage of MAC fueled by CH 4 is maintained on the level of 0.66 V for up to 100 h at 650 °C without carbon deposition in the anode, while that of CAC decreases continuously with significant carbon formation.