A highly active anode material for solid oxide fuel cells resistant to carbon deposition is developed. Co-Fe co-doped La0.5Ba0.5MnO3-δ with a cubic-hexagonal heterogeneous stucture is synthesized through the pechini method. An A-site ordered double perovskite with Co0.94Fe0.06 alloyoxide core-shell nanoparticles on its surface is formed after reduction. The phase transition and the exsolution of the nanoparticles are investigated with X-ray diffraction, thermogravimetric analysis and high-resolution transmission electron microscope. The exsolved nanoparticles with the layered double perovskite supporter show a high catalytic activity. A single cell with that anode and a 300 μm-thick La0.8Sr0.2Ga0.8Mg0.2O3-δ electrolyte layer exhibits maximum power densities of 1479 and 503 mW cm -2 at 850 o C with wet hydrogen and wet methane fuels, respectively. Moreover, the single cell fed with wet methane exhibits a stable power output at 850 o C for 200 h, demonstrating a high resistance to carbon deposition of the anode due to the strong anchor of the exsolved nanoparticles on the perovskite parent. The oxide shell also preserves the metal particles from coking.

Ni1-xZnxO-Ce0.8Sm0.2O1.9 is studied as an anode material for solid oxide fuel cells with hydrogen and methanol as fuels. After reduction, Zn is incorporated into the lattice of Ni when x is less than 0.5, while NiZn alloy accompanied with ZnO is formed when x reaches 0.8. The electrochemical oxidation process of H2 on the anode is investigated with a symmetric cell under various H2 partial pressures. The addition of Zn increases the electron cloud density of Ni and thus weakens the adsorbing strength of H on Ni, accelerating the surface diffusion of H species, which is the rate determining step when the content of Zn is lower than 0.5. ZnO in the reduced Ni0.2Zn0.8O-Ce0.8Sm0.2O1.9 anode facilitates H spillover, resulting in the variation of the rate determining step and the highest activity of the anode. The cell with Ni0.2Zn0.8O-Ce0.8Sm0.2O1.9 anode shows 2 the highest performance with both H2 and methanol fuels at 700 o C. ZnO also improves coking resistance of NiO-Ce0.8Sm0.2O1.9 anode.