Solid oxide fuel cell anode for the direct utilization of ethanol as a fuel

An all-ceramic material composed of CeO2-Al2O3 electrocatalyst was synthesized and engineered into a multifunctional solid oxide fuel cell anode for the direct utilization of ethanol as a fuel for the distributed generation of electrical power, without requiring fuel water vapor reforming to first be converted into hydrogen that is then purified and fed into the fuel cell. Important open circuit potentials and power densities were reached by operating the fuel cells in the temperature range varying from 800 to 950 °C, without anode coking, carbon clogging and cracking phenomena.