Materials and processes for solid oxide fuels cells (SOFC) or solid oxide electrolyte cells (SOEC)

Principal investigator: Vincenzo M. Sglavo

 

Several reseach activities have been carried out in the last decade to improve efficiency, durability and flexibility of Solid Oxide Fuel Cells (SOFC). Recently, planar CuO-containing GDC anode and Li-doped GDC-based electrolyte were produced by tape casting and co-sintering to obtain SOFC which can be fed by carbon and/or sulphur containing fuels like biogas. Larger anode/electrolyte thickness ratio was shown to have a positive influence on SOFC performance because of the better electrolyte densification promoted by compressive stresses generated upon sintering because of the differential anode/electrolyte shrinkage. The catalytic activity analysis pointed out that GDC promotes complete methane combustion and Cu is unable to activate the C-H bond of methane, this being advantageous for limiting the presence of carbon deposits. The cell with better microstructure (i.e., with denser electrolyte) was tested by using wet CH4/CO2 biogas mixture at 650°C and power density of 29 mW cm-2 was measured.

 

Funding

CARITRO Foundation (Cassa di Risparmio di Trento e Rovereto, Italy), project “BioplanarSOFC” (2015-17)

MIUR – PRIN2010, project “Celle a combustibile ad ossido solido operanti a temperatura intermedia alimentate con biocombustibili (BIOITSOFC)” (2013-2015)

Industrial collaboration with SolidPower Spa (Mezzolombardo, TN)

 


Publications

De Marco, V., Grazioli, A., Sglavo, V.M., 2016, “Production of planar copper-based anode supported intermediate temperature solid oxide fuel cells cosintered at 950°C”, Journal of Power Sources, 328, pp. 235-240

De Marco, V., Iannaci, A., Lo Faro, M., Sglavo, V.M., Influence of Copper-based Anode Composition on Intermediate Temperature Solid Oxide Fuel Cells Performance (2017) Fuel Cells, 17 (5), pp. 708-715

Iannaci, A., Zurlo, F., De Marco, V., Luisetto, I., De Bartolomeo, E., Sglavo, V.M., Fabrication and testing of copper/gadolinium-doped ceria-based Solid Oxide Fuel Cells operating at intermediate temperature (2018) Energy Technology, 10.1002/ente.201800248.

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