Mo-Doped LSCF as a Novel Coke-Resistant Anode for Biofuel-Fed SOFC

Abstract

Climate change and damage to the environment, as well as the limitations of fossil fuels, have pushed governments to explore infinite renewable energy options such as biofuels. Solid Oxide Fuel Cell (SOFC) is a sustainable energy device that transforms biofuels into power and heat. It is now being researched to function at intermediate temperatures (600–700 °C) in order to prevent material deterioration and improve system life span. However, one of the major disadvantages of reducing the temperature is that carbon deposition impairs the electrochemical performance of the cell with a Ni-YSZ traditional anode. Here, molybdenum was doped into La0.6Sr0.4Co0.2Fe0.8O3−δ (LSCFMo) as an innovative anode material with higher coke resistance and better phase stability under reducing conditions. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis showed increasing phase stability by increasing the Mo dopant. Electrochemical measurements proved that the LSCFMo anode is an active catalyst towards the methanol oxidation even at low temperatures as 600 °C, with an open circuit voltage (OCV) of 0.55 V, while GDC10 (Ga0.9Ce0.1O1.95) is used as the electrolyte. As an insightful result, no trace of any carbon deposition was found on the anode side after the tests. The combination of phase composition, morphological, and electrochemical studies demonstrate that LSCFMo is a suitable anode material for SOFCs fed by biofuels.