Carbon-resistant Ni-YSZ/Cu–CeO2-YSZ dual-layer hollow fiber anode for micro tubular solid oxide fuel cell

A NiO-YSZ/porous YSZ dual-layer hollow fiber with an asymmetric structure was fabricated by a co-spinning-sintering method. A dense YSZ electrolyte film was prepared on NiO-YSZ layer by dip-coating method and calcined at 1450 °C; subsequently a porous cathode was dip-coated on the dense YSZ electrolyte film using LSM-YSZ (in the weight ratio 4:1) ink to fabricate a micro tubular solid oxide fuel cell (MT-SOFC). Cu–CeO2 catalyst was impregnated into the porous YSZ layer to form the second anode composition. The power output of the MT-SOFC with Ni-YSZ/Cu–CeO2-YSZ graded anode was up to 242 mW cm−2 operated at 850 °C using CH4 as fuel and air as oxidant. Little carbon deposition was observed on the double anode using methane as the fuel after 60 hʹ stable operation.