INTERMEDIATE TEMPERATURE METHANE FUEL CELLS

THE OBJECTIVE OF THE PROJECT IS TO DETERMINE THE UTILITY OF SOLID OXIDE FUEL CELLS (SOFCS) FOR PROMOTING THE EFFICIENT ELECTROCHEMICAL CONVERSION OF METHANE-BASED FUELS TO ELECTRICAL ENERGY OVER THE TEMPERATURE RANGE 600-900 DEGREES CENTIGRADE. EMPHASES IS IS ON ANODE ELECTROCATALYSTS INCORPORATING LATTICE SUBSTITUENTS DEMONSTRATING EVIDENCE FOR DIRECT OXIDATION OF METHANE AND THEIR STEAM REFORM PRODUCTS IN THE ABSENCE OF CARBON DEPOSITION. FUEL CELLS ARE BASED UPON PEROVSKITE AND PEROVSKITE-RELATED BROWNMILLERITE SOLID ELECTROLYTES. THE ELECTROCHEMICAL PERFORMANCE OF FUEL CELLS IS BEING DETERMINED. INSIGHT INTO PREFERRED SELECTED FUEL CELL COMPONENTS IS BEING GAINED AND ATTENTION IS PAID TO DETERMINING THE STABILITY OF ANODE/SOLID ELECTROLYTE INTERFACE INVOLVED IN PROMOTING THE ELECTROCHEMICAL OXIDATION OF METHANE-BASED FUELS.