Nickel/gadolinium-doped ceria anode for direct ethanol solid oxide fuel cell

•Ni/GDC SOFC anodes with 18 and 44 wt.% Ni were prepared by a hydrothermal method.•Carbon was formed only under dry ethanol for both catalysts.•The addition of water or oxygen to the feed inhibits carbon formation.•Carbon deposition does not occur during the single cell tests for dry ethanol.•This result was attributed to the operation mechanism of gradual internal reforming.

This report investigates the properties of nickel/gadolinium-doped ceria (Ni/GDC) as anode material for bio-ethanol fueled SOFC. The Ni/GDC cermets with 18 and 44 wt.% Ni were prepared by a hydrothermal method. Ethanol decomposition, steam reforming, and partial oxidation of ethanol were studied using a fixed-bed reactor at 1123 K. Carbon was formed only under dry ethanol for both catalysts. The addition of water or oxygen to the feed inhibited the formation of carbon. Ni/GDC was used as the anode current collector layer and as a catalytic layer in single cells tests. No deposits of carbon were detected in single cells with Ni/GDC catalytic layer after 50 h of continuous operation under direct (dry) ethanol. This result was attributed to the catalytic properties of the Ni/GDC layer and the operation mechanism of gradual internal reforming, in which the oxidation of hydrogen provides the steam for ethanol reforming, thus avoiding carbon deposition.

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