Evaluation of nickel catalysts supported on gadoliniun-doped ceria for IT-SOFC in methane steam reforming

MARIA LUIZA ANDRADE; LINDAURA ALMEIDA; FRANCISCO POMPEO; MARÍA DO CARMO RANGEL; NORA NICHIO

GLASGOW

Congreso; EUROPACAT; 2011

The materials used in the anode of IT-SOFC cells consist in a mixture of nickel and cerium oxide doped with gadolinium, forming a composite metal-ceramic (cermet) with an electronically conductive metal and a ceramic phase with ionic or mixed conductivity. Despite the application of these materials, there is no systematic study on the effect of metal content on the performance of these materials as anodes in fuel cells. In this work different nickel catalysts (30 and 50% w/w) supported on gadolinium doped cerium (10 and 20% mol/mol) was prepared. The samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction, specific surface area and temperature programmed reduction. The catalysts were tested in the steam reforming reaction of methane and propane between 600 and 750°C. Post reaction samples were analyzed by Raman spectroscopy. The addition of gadolinium promotes a higher metal-support interaction avoiding the sintering of the active phase. The best performance is achieved with the catalyst with 30% nickel and 10% of gadolinium in support of cerium.