C 2 H 6 Dehydrogenation and Electrical Power Production in a Protonic Conducting Fuel Cell with in-Situ Exsolved Metal Nanoparticle Catalyst

Abstract

In situ exsolution of metal nanoparticles on perovskite framework has been successfully synthesized by reducing the porous precursor SrFe 0.55 Ni 0.2 Mo 0.25 O 3− d (SFMN) in a 5% H 2 /Ar at 800 °C. Such kind of exsolution not only forms a strong interface between metal nanoparticles and perovskite backbones, but also leads to an increase of oxygen vacancy content in perovskite structure, which will be beneficial to the electrical conduction and catalytic activity towards the oxidations of H 2 and C 2 H 6 . The BaCe 0.4 Zr 0.4 Y 0.1 Yb 0.1 O 3 − δ electrolyte-supported proton-conducting single cells have been fabricated using the exsolved metal nanoparticle/oxide fuel electrode catalyst, achieving a maximum output power density of 119.7 mW cm − 2 in H 2 and 79.3 mW cm − 2 in C 2 H 6 at 700 °C. Gas compositions using the catalyst in C 2 H 6 have been analyzed using gas chromatography at open circle voltage, demonstrating a C 2 H 4 yield of 1.7% at 700 °C. The promising dehydrogenation activity for C 2 H 6 to C 2 H 4 together with the good electrochemical performance shows this newly developed material may be a potential catalyst for the cogeneration of electrical power and ethylene.