The study of an intermediate temperature solid state fuel cell utilizing hydrogen sulfide as the fuel

A fuel cell using hydrogen sulfide as the fuel and consisting of a solid electrolyte, which conducts ions at intermediate temperatures (500-800{dollar}spcirc{dollar}C), was studied. Utilization of this pollutant in this manner would produce clean electrical energy, as opposed to heat which is generated in conventional H{dollar}sb2{dollar}S processing via the Claus process, and simultaneously convert a highly toxic gas into benign raw materials.; The primary concern was to find a suitable electrolyte. This material must be stable to hydrogen sulfide and preferably be strictly a proton conductor since oxide conduction could lead to SO{dollar}sb2{dollar} generation. The electrolytes examined include samaria-doped ceria, ytterbia-doped strontium cerate, samaria-doped barium cerate, lithium sulfate, and lithium sulfate-alumina composites. Fuel cell experimental run results acquired using these five electrolytes, with platinum for the electrodes, are discussed. The fabrication and characterization of the electrolyte membranes and powders are also addressed.; The most success was obtained with samaria-doped ceria. High power densities (9.8 mW/cm{dollar}sp2{dollar} at 654{dollar}spcirc{dollar}C), low anode overpotentials, relatively high exchange current densities, and the apparent stability of this material to hydrogen sulfide all indicate the significant potential of this electrolyte in a H{dollar}sb2{dollar}S fuel cell.