Archiving high-performance solid oxide fuel cells with titanate anode in sulfur- and carbon-containing fuels

Yttria doped strontium titanate (Y0.07Sr0.89TiO3, YST) material is synthesized using a conventional combustion method as anode for solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) in sulfur- and hydrocarbon-containing fuels. The YST perovskite exhibits good stability and chemical compatibility with yttria stabilized zirconia (YSZ) electrolyte in 0.5% H2S-containing fuel at high temperatures. Moreover, the YST shows high electrical conductivity of 35 S cm−1 at 900 °C and the cell with this anode achieves a maximum power density of 200, 162 and 70 mW cm−2 when the anode is fed by 0.5% H2S-containing hydrogen, syngas and methane fuels, respectively. More importantly, the cell shows negligible degradation in the sulfur-, carbon- and hydrocarbon-containing fuels. Thus, YST holds the promise as anode material for SOFCs, especially in high concentration sulfur-, carbon- and hydrocarbon-containing fuels.