Electrochemical and Microstructural Analysis of Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Electrodes

Abstract

Electrochemical and Microstructural Analysis of Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Electrodes Mingjia Zhi Fuel cells offer several advantages over conventional routines of power generation, such as substantially higher conversion efficiency, modular construction, minimal sitting restriction, and much lower production of pollutants. Solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC), in principle, can utilize all kinds of combustion fuels including coal derived syngas (CSG). The U.S. Department of Energy is currently working on coupling coal gasification and SOFC to form Integrated Gasification Fuel Cell (IGFC) systems. Such IGFC systems will enable the clean, efficient and cost-effective use of coal-the nation's most abundant fossil fuel. However several issues need to be considered before SOFC can be really commercialized. The anode of SOFC can interact with the trace impurities in CSG such as arsenic, phosphorous, chlorine etc, which leads severe degradation of the cell performance. The operation temperature of current SOFC is also high (>800 o C), which increases the system cost. Hence, further study of both the anode and cathode is necessary in order to develop high performance, long serving time SOFC for IGFC power plant. One of the aims of this project is to investigate the degradation mechanisms of the Ni-YSZ (yttria stabilized zirconia) anode in PH 3 contained coal syngas. Materials microstructure change and electrochemical performance degradation were studied synchronously.