Carbon-tolerant solid oxide fuel cells using NiTiO3 as an anode internal reforming layer

• NiTiO3 reforming layer could effectively improve carbon tolerance of SOFCs.
• NiTiO3 could be reduced into nickel metal and rutile.
• NiTiO3 reforming layer benefits fuel oxidation reaction.

In this work, adding a NiTiO3 (NTO) reforming layer is firstly adopted as a low cost method to improve the carbon tolerance in solid oxide fuel cells. XRD patterns suggest that NTO has a good chemical compatibility with the YSZ electrolyte, and NTO can be totally reduced to Ni and TiO2 when exposing to the H2 atmosphere. Maximum power densities for the cells with the NTO layers at 700 °C are 270 mWcm−2 with wet H2 fuel, and 236 mWcm−2 with wet methane fuel, respectively. Improved discharging stability for the cells with NTO layers has also been observed. The current density remains unchanged for the cells with NTO layers during a 26 h test, while it drops to zero within 1 h for the cells without NTO. Above electro-performance and long term stability tests suggest that fabricating a NTO reforming layer on the anode surface is an efficient and inexpensive method to realize highly carbon tolerant SOFCs.