Fuel-flexible operation of a solid oxide fuel cell with Sr0.8La0.2TiO3 support

Solid oxide fuel cells with Sr0.8La0.2TiO3 anode-side supports, Ni- Sm-doped ceria adhesion layer, Ni- Y2O3-stabilized ZrO2 (YSZ) anode active layer, YSZ electrolyte, and La0.8Sr0.2MnO3(LSM)–YSZ cathode are described. These cells are stable in simulated natural gas at current densities as low as 0.2 A cm−2. This represents much-improved stability against coking in natural gas, compared with conventional Ni–YSZ anode-supported SOFCs which rapidly coke, even at higher current densities. Cell operation in H2 fuel with 50–100 ppm, H2S results in an initial decrease in cell power density, but no long-term degradation occurs and full recovery to the initial performance level is observed after dry H2 fuel flow is restored. Degradation is not observed during or after seven redox cycles between H2 and air.