Co-generation of liquid chemicals and electricity over Co-Fe alloy/perovskite anode catalyst in a propane fueled solid oxide fuel cell

• Co-Fe nanoparticles decorated oxide anode is prepared by in-situ reduction technique. • Liquid chemicals and electricity is co-generated in a propane fueled SOFC. • SOFC exhibits good electrochemical performance and excellent stability against C 3 H 8 fuel. • Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons is achieved through the aromatization routine. Herein, perovskite oxide Sr 2 Fe 1.4 Co 0.1 Mo 0.5 O 6-δ (SFMCo) is used as the anode of direct propane-fueled solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs). In reducing operation, single-phase perovskite oxide SFMCo is transformed to Co-Fe bimetallic catalytic nanocatalysts decorated SFMCo composite nanomaterial. Good electrochemical performance and outstanding stability are obtained with propane as the fuel and ambient air as the oxidant. Due to the catalytic effect of the exsolved Co-Fe alloy in the SOFC system, polycyclic aromatic compounds are gathered as chemical products in the exhaust of the anode through the aromatization route. This novel anode system manifests the successful co-generation of electricity and high-value liquid chemicals from direct hydrocarbon-fueled SOFC.