Internal Reforming Solid Oxide Fuel Cell System Operating under Direct Ethanol Feed Condition

A button-typed single solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) with an internal catalytic reforming layer is tested for direct-fed ethanol SOFC technology. This catalytic functional layer consists of 5 wt% Rh/CeZrO(2)catalyst and is applied in front of conventional nickel-yttria-stabilized zirconia (Ni-YSZ) anode to convert the ethanol fuel (35 vol%) into a hydrogen-rich gas stream via the ethanol steam reforming reaction under harsh operating conditions for 24 h (steam-to-carbon [S/C] ratio = 3.1, 600 degrees C, and weight hourly space velocity [WHSV] of 176 h(-1)). The X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) analysis and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) images reveal highly dispersed Rh nanoparticles with an average size of 2 nm over CeZrO(2)support. Unlike the button cell without the catalytic functional layer, the electrochemical performance of the button cell with the catalytic functional layer illustrates a high coking resistance while maintaining a good power density output. The proposed SOFC with the catalytic functional layer is a viable solution for future electric cars with bioethanol-fed SOFC technology.