Developing a Thermal- and Coking-Resistant Cobalt–Tungsten Bimetallic Anode Catalyst for Solid Oxide Fuel Cells

Abstract

We report the development of a novel Co–W bimetallic anode catalyst for solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) via a facile infiltration-annealing process. Using various microscopic and spectroscopic measurements, we find that the formed intermetallic nanoparticles are highly thermally stable up to 900 °C and show good coking resistance in methane. In particular, a fuel cell fitted with Co3W anode shows comparable activity (relative to Co) in the electro-oxidation of hydrogen and methane at 900 °C without suffering significant degradation during a longevity test.