La0.6Sr0.4Co0.2Fe0.8O3 Perovskite: A Stable Anode Catalyst for Direct Methane Solid Oxide Fuel Cells

Direct methane solid oxide fuel cells, operated by supplying methane to a Ni/YSZ anode, suffer from degradation via accumulation of carbon deposits on the Ni surface. Coating a 40 µm thin film of La0.6Sr0.4Co0.2Fe0.8O3 (LSCF) perovskite on the Ni/YSZ anode surface decreased the amount of carbon deposits, slowing down the degradation rate. The improvement in anode durability could be related to the oxidation activity of LSCF which facilitates oxidation of CH4 and carbon deposits. Analysis of the crystalline structure of LSCF revealed that LSCF was stable in the reducing anode environment under H2 and CH4 flow at 750 °C and retained its perovskite structure throughout the 475 h long-term stability test.