Self‐Construction of Efficient Interfaces Ensures High‐Performance Direct Ammonia Protonic Ceramic Fuel Cells

Abstract

AbstractDirect ammonia protonic ceramic fuel cells (PCFCs) are highly efficient energy conversion devices since ammonia as a carbon‐neutral hydrogen‐rich carrier shows great potential for storage and long‐distance transportation when compared with hydrogen fuel. However, traditional Ni‐based anodes readily suffer from severe structural destruction and dramatic deactivation after long‐time exposure to ammonia. Here a Sr2Fe1.35Mo0.45Cu0.2O6−δ (SFMC) anode catalytic layer (ACL) painted onto a Ni‐BaZr0.1Ce0.7Y0.1Yb0.1O3−δ (BZCYYb) anode with enhanced catalytic activity and durability toward the direct utilization of ammonia is reported. A tubular Ni‐BZCYYb anode‐supported cells with the SFMC ACL show excellent peak power densities of 1.77 W cm−2 in wet H2 (3% H2O) and 1.02 W cm−2 in NH3 at 650 °C. A relatively stable operation of the cells is obtained at 650 °C for 200 h in ammonia fuel. Such achieved improvements in the activity and durability are attributed to the self‐constructed interfaces with the phases of NiCu or/and NiFe for efficient NH3 decomposition, resulting in a strong NH3 adsorption strength of the SFMC, as confirmed by NH3 thermal conversion and NH3‐temperature programmed desorption. This research offers a valuable strategy of applying an internal catalytic layer for highly active and durable ammonia PCFCs.