Effect of complex oxide promoters and Pd on activity and stability of Ni/YSZ (ScSZ) cermets as anode materials for IT SOFC

Effect of fluorite-like or perovskite-like complex oxide promoters, Pd and Cu on the performance of Ni/8YSZ and Ni/ScCeSZ anode materials in CH4 steam reforming (SR) or selective oxidation (SO) by O2 into syngas was studied. The spatial distribution of dopants in composites before and after contact with the reaction feed, features of components mutual interaction and forms of deposited coke were controlled by TEM combined with EDX analysis. The lattice oxygen mobility and reactivity were estimated by CH4 and H2 temperature-programmed reduction (TPR), and the amount of deposited carbon after operation in the feed with stoichiometric H2O/CH4 ratio was estimated by the temperature-programmed oxidation. Promoters decrease the amount of deposited coke, while doping by Pd or Cu ensures also a good and stable performance at moderate (∼550 °C) temperatures required for the intermediate-temperature solid oxide fuel cells (IT SOFC) operation.