<i>In Situ</i> Exsolvation of Cu Nanoparticles to Enhance Anode Catalysis in Direct Carbon Solid Oxide Fuel Cells

Direct carbon solid oxide fuel cells (DC-SOFCs) are energy-conversion devices that can be utilized to directly convert the chemical energy in carbon into electrical energy. However, the development of DC-SOFCs is hindered by the inefficient mass transfer process on the anode surface. Herein, B-site Cu-substituted (PrBa)0.95Fe1.8–xTi0.2CuxO6−δ (PBFTCx, x = 0–0.3) materials are synthesized via the sol–gel combustion method and evaluated as anode materials for DC-SOFCs. These Cu@PBFTCx (x = 0–0.3) anode materials show significantly improved CO adsorption capacities and oxygen ion conductivities, leading to improved catalytic performance in DC-SOFCs. Among the Cu-doped samples, [email protected] shows the most enhanced CO adsorption capacity and the highest ion conductivity in air. A single cell assembled with a [email protected] anode exhibits excellent performance when using nanoactivated carbon as a fuel, achieving a peak power density of 518.98 mW cm–2 at 800 °C. This work demonstrates the excellent potential for utilizing Cu@PBFTCx materials as DC-SOFC anodes.