Sulfur tolerance improvement of Ni-YSZ anode by alkaline earth metal oxide BaO for solid oxide fuel cells

The anodic performances of Ni-Y2O3 stabilized ZrO2 (Ni-YSZ) modified by alkaline earth metal oxide BaO were investigated for solid oxide fuel cells operating in H2S-containing hydrogen fuels. The XRF and EDS results indicated that the amount of BaO was about 5%. The cell with BaO/Ni-YSZ anode exhibited almost constant peak power densities when the fuel was switched from wet hydrogen to 50 ppm H2S contaminated wet hydrogen and good stability in wet H2S-contained hydrogen fuels with H2S concentration gradually increased from 5 to 50 ppm. The EDS and XPS results demonstrated that no element S was detectable after sulfur poisoning testing. High water adsorption ability of BaO could be the primary reason for the high sulfur tolerance. The obtained results confirmed the previous conclusion that BaO/Ni interfaces can resist not only deactivation by coking but also sulfur poisoning of a conventional Ni-YSZ anode.

► Sulfur tolerance ability of BaO infiltrated Ni-YSZ anode was investigated.
► Peak power densities were almost constant after 50 ppm H2S was introduced.
► BaO/Ni-YSZ anode showed good stability in 50 ppm H2S contained H2.
► Water adsorption of BaO could be the primary reason for the high sulfur tolerance.
► It could be a cost-effective fabrication approach for sulfur tolerant anode.