Raman spectroscopic monitoring of carbon deposition on hydrocarbon-fed solid oxide fuel cell anodes

CATEGORY: FUEL CELLS
Energy & Environmental Science Issue 7, 2012, 7913-7917
Raman spectroscopic monitoring of carbon deposition on hydrocarbon-fed solid oxide fuel cell anodes
Kevin S. Blinn ,  Harry Abernathy ,  Xiaxi Li ,  Mingfei Liu ,  Lawrence A. Bottomley and Meilin Liu, Kevin S. Blinn ,  Harry Abernathy ,  Xiaxi Li ,  Mingfei Liu ,  Lawrence A. Bottomley and Meilin Liu1. School of Chemistry and Biochemistry,Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, USA
Abstract
Solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) are potentially the most efficient and cost-effective solution for the utilization of a wide variety of fuels beyond hydrogen. A major obstacle to true fuel flexibility lies in anode deactivation by coking.  In addition, mechanistic understanding of coking and its prevention is limited.
Autors  report Raman spectroscopic mapping and monitoring of carbon deposition on SOFC anode surfaces under both ex situ and in situ conditions.  They demonstrate carbon mapping with a model Ni–YSZ electrode exposed to a CH4-containing atmosphere at high temperature (625 °C).  They also directly monitored  carbon deposition over time in a wet C3H8 atmosphere on a similar anode system as well as a BaO-modified system. This spectroscopic technique provides valuable insight into the mechanism of carbon deposition.
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