Abstract
The reaction of carbon dioxide catalytic reforming with methane is an attractive conversion technology because of the possibility of enhancing natural gas utilization with the sequestration of CO2. However, this reaction is a highly energy consuming and coke forming process. These problems may be overcomed the electrocatalytic reforming of CO2 with CH4 in a solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) membrane reactor system, which generates high electrical power and synthesis gases. The single cell included catalyst electrode (NiO-MgO, NiO-YSZ-MgO), counter electrode ((La, Sr) MnO3) and Y2O3 stabilized ZrO2 (YSZ) electrolyte was prepared by a tape casting method. The reaction rates of CO2 and CH4, and the electrochemical properties were investigated by an on-line GC and Impedance-analyzer under open- and closed- circuit conditions, respectively. It was found that reaction rates of CO2 and CH4 under the closed- circuit condition were more stable than those of the open-circuit. It was concluded that the stability of catalyst electrode was dependent on the reaction of oxygen ion transferred from the cathode with the surface carbon formed in the internal CO2 reforming by CH4 in SOFC system.
