High performance low-temperature tubular protonic ceramic fuel cells based on barium cerate-zirconate electrolyte

Abstract An anode-supported tubular protonic ceramic fuel cell with BaCe0.7Zr0.1Y0.2O3-δ electrolyte is fabricated using dip-coating technique. Electrochemical performances of the cell are tested at temperatures from 600 to 200 °C, utilizing humidified H2 (3 vol.% H2O) as fuel and ambient air as oxidant. With an effective area of 2.3 cm2, the cell yields a peak power density of 465 mW cm-2 at 600 °C and 118 mW cm-2 at 450 °C. Even when the temperature is as low as 200 °C, there is still an output power of 3 mW. Stability of the cell under 600 °C is tested by operating the cell at a constant voltage of 0.7 V. The test lasts for 30 hours during which the operating power density decreases rapidly in the first 10 hours, then tend to be stable at 300 mW cm-2.