A Ce<sub>0.9</sub>Ni<sub>0.05</sub>Ru<sub>0.05</sub>O<sub>2−δ</sub> Nanocatalyst Prepared by a Urea-Assisted Strategy for Direct Oxidation of Methane in Protonic Ceramic Fuel Cells
Methane-fueled protonic ceramic fuel cells (CH4-PCFCs) require anode catalysts functioning both high activity and carbon resistance under low steam conditions. A green urea-assisted infiltration strategy is developed for the in situ assembly of Ce0.9Ni0.05Ru0.05O2−δ catalysts on porous Ni-BZCYYb anode scaffolds. This energy-efficient method is demonstrated to eliminate alkaline or acidic waste generation compared to conventional hydrothermal precipitation and sol–gel methods. The peak power density of the cell with optimized anode reaches 640 mW cm–2 at 700 °C, with exceptional durability (0.029% h–1) under 3 vol % H2O–methane operation. The improved performance is ascribed to well-dispersed Ni–Ru sites within the oxygen vacancy-enriched CeO2 lattice synergistically mediating CH4 activation via H* and CO* intermediates, concurrently accelerating proton transport and suppressing coke formation. A waste-free, scalable infiltration paradigm is established, providing a sustainable pathway for CH4-PCFCs industrialization.
Authors
- Yuezhen Mao (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0007-7505-8767)
- Chunwen Sun (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3610-9396)
- Yipeng Song (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8845-6939)
- Wei Zhang (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0006-4986-4418)
- Xiaoming Zou (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4569-9823)
Institutions
- China University of Mining and Technology (CN)
Publication Details
- Journal
- ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering
- Published
- 2025-05-20
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1021/acssuschemeng.5c01285
- Citations
- 3
- Primary Topic
- Advancements in Solid Oxide Fuel Cells
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 1.55
Funders
- National Natural Science Foundation of China
- National Key Research and Development Program of China