Cesium-Promoted Nickel-Ceria Anodes for Enhanced Stability and Performance in Low-Temperature Solid Oxide Fuel Cells

Solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) are a promising energy technology, but their performance is limited by high operating temperatures and material degradation. While significant research has focused on improving anode stability at high temperatures, less attention has been given to low-temperature (≤450 °C) performance, where the anode’s role becomes more critical. This study investigates the effect of a cesium-based promoter, introduced as a CsNO3 aqueous solution or powder onto gadolinium-doped ceria and nickel composite (Ni-GDC) anodes, for SOFCs in the 300 to 450 °C range. The Cs-promoted anode exhibits up to 76% improvement in performance at 350 °C with 3% humidified hydrogen fuel compared to a conventional Ni-GDC anode. It also demonstrates exceptional stability, maintaining over 50 mW/cm2 at 450 °C and 0.8 V for 15 h without carbon coking when using 3% humidified methane fuel. These results highlight the pivotal role of the anode in low-temperature operation and showcase the potential of Cs promoters to significantly enhance the performance and durability of SOFC electrodes.