CO2 emission free co-generation of energy and ethylene in hydrocarbonSOFC reactors with a dehydrogenation anode

Abstract

A dehydrogenation anode is reported for hydrocarbon proton conducting solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs). A Cu–Cr₂O₃ nanocomposite is obtained from CuCrO₂ nanoparticles as an inexpensive, efficient, carbon deposition and sintering tolerant anode catalyst. A SOFC reactor is fabricated using a Cu–Cr₂O₃ composite as a dehydrogenation anode and a doped barium cerate as a proton conducting electrolyte. The protonic membrane SOFC reactor can selectively convert ethane to valuable ethylene, and electricity is simultaneously generated in the electrochemical oxidative dehydrogenation process. While there are no CO₂ emissions, traces of CO are present in the anode exhaust when the SOFC reactor is operated at over 700 °C. A mechanism is proposed for ethane electro-catalytic dehydrogenation over the Cu–Cr₂O₃ catalyst. The SOFC reactor also has good stability for co-generation of electricity and ethylene at 700 °C.