Influence of the microstructure on the catalytic properties of SOFC anodes under dry reforming of methane

• Different Ni-based anode materials were sintered, characterized and tested.
• Catalytic properties were related to the anode microstructure by measuring the SSA.
• The methane conversion yield was shown to be higher for anodes sintered at lower T.
• Denser anodes microstructures lead to lower carbon deposition.

This work investigates the catalytic properties of different solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) Ni-based anodes toward the dry reforming of CH4. The analysis is carried out in a tubular quartz micro-reactor. A mass spectrometer is used to analyze the outlet gas composition and thus to evaluate the methane conversion rate. Temperature Programmed Oxidation (TPO) experiments were also performed on the anode samples to calculate the amount of deposited carbon.Ni based anodes differing in term of microstructure, with both yttria stabilized zirconia and gadolinia doped-ceria, were tested. The investigated catalytic properties were related to the anode microstructure by measuring the specific surface area of the different samples and by means of morphological observations.It is found that the conversion rate of methane is strongly dependent on the specific surface area of the anode.