Application of a Cu–CeO2/Ni–yttria-stabilized zirconia multi-layer anode for anode-supported Solid Oxide Fuel Cells operating on H2–CO syngas fuels

A Ni–yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) anode and a Cu–CeO2/Ni–YSZ multi-layer anode have been fabricated for use in anode-supported Solid Oxide Fuel Cells (SOFCs), and their performances and stabilities in H2–CO syngas have been studied at 750 °C. A high CO content has been found to cause carbon deposition and crack formation in the Ni–YSZ anode after long-term operation, but the Cu–CeO2 catalyst layer on the Ni–YSZ anode surface improves its stability in syngas with high CO content by facilitating the water gas shift reaction. The optimized single cell has run in syngas with a composition of 48.5%H2–48.5%CO–3%H2O for 460 h without obvious degradation of its performance, however, its performance decreases after 630 h due to carbon deposition in the anode functional layer and subsequent crack formation on the anode and electrolyte.