Improved Sulfur Tolerance of SOFCs through Surface Modification of Anodes

SOFCs are a promising technology for high efficiency power generation with fuel flexibility; however, sulfur, a common contaminant in most hydrocarbon fuels, can cause severe anode degradation. Here we demonstrated that surface modification of Ni-GDC-based SOFC through nanoparticle infiltration drastically reduces the sulfur poisoning effect. Infiltrated SOFCs showed stable performance with sulfur-contaminated fuel for over 290 h, while unmodified SOFCs became inoperative after 60 h. We proposed that the nanosized GDC coating promotes sulfur removal through SO2 formation by increasing the density of reaction sites and providing a ready supply of oxygen to those sites. The significant benefit provided by this electrode treatment is promising for the integration of SOFCs with established fuel compositions.