Direct operation of Ag-based anode solid oxide fuel cells on propane

A cermet of sliver and gadolinium-doped ceria (GDC) is investigated as the anode material of solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs). The SOFCs are operated with hydrogen and dry propane as the fuel and ambient air as the oxidant. Their electrochemical and durability performances are tested and compared to those of SOFCs with conventional Ni-GDC anode. Experimental results show that performances of the SOFCs, respectively with Ag-GDC and Ni-GDC anode, are similar when operated on hydrogen, while quite different on propane. The open circuit voltage (OCV) of a SOFC with Ag-GDC anode is stable at similar to 1 V while that with Ni-GDC anode continuously drops from the initial 1.2 V-0.85 V in 140 min. A SOFC with AgGDC anode has been stably operated on propane at a constant current density of 103 mA cm(-2) for more than 160 h while that with Ni-GDC anode for only 50 h. SEM examination shows Ni-GDC anode is destroyed by carbon deposition during operation on propane, while Ag-GDC anode is well conserved and has a carbon layer, with some breakages, built on its surface. Mechanisms of the stable operation of SOFCs with Ag-GDC anode on dry propane is investigated and analyzed. (C) 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.