Enhancement effect of catalyst support on indirect hydrogen production from propane partial oxidation towards commercial solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) applications.

• An efficient indirect hydrogen production-driven solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) system is established. • Hydrogen yield is raised to 80% which is 14% higher than that using the commercial catalyst. • H 2 production and fuel cell power were improved while operating cost reduced. • The application of the catalyst brings about great advantages in capital and energy saving. Utilization of propane in solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) is desired for commercial applications. However, the susceptibility of conventional Ni-based anode to coking is still a technical challenge. Developing an efficient catalyst for hydrogen production through partial oxidation of propane is a feasible approach to address this issue. In fact, hydrogen production from propane partial oxidation is profoundly determined by catalyst performance, which further affects the fuel cell efficiency. In this study, a robust and efficient catalyst is developed by incorporating inexpensive TiO 2 into Ni-Co/Al 2 O 3 catalyst. The results suggested that an appropriate amount of TiO 2 in catalyst support could regulate the interaction between active metal and Al 2 O 3 support therefore inhibiting catalyst carbon deposition and sintering. Also, TiO 2 addition is conducive to the catalyst regeneration process by reducing the activation energy of oxidative decarburization. Hydrogen yield was efficiently promoted by the synthesized catalyst. Consequently, under the equivalent hydrogen (160 ml/min) produced over the catalyst, the SOFCs, with a cathode area of 15 cm2, display impressive performance (maximum power density, 404 mW/cm2) and excellent stability. Through cost-benefit analysis, the application of the synthesized catalyst is considered for great advantages in capital and energy saving. Ultimately, this work might offer a novel point of view for developing a low-cost, robust and efficient catalyst towards indirect hydrogen production for SOFCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]