Study on paper-structured catalyst for direct internal reforming SOFC fueled by the mixture of CH4 and CO2

Inorganic fiber network including YSZ fiber which acts as catalyst support was created by the simple paper-making process, and novel Ni-loaded paper-structured catalysts (PSCs) with excellent catalytic activity for the dry reforming of methane were designed and developed. The PSCs exhibited high fuel conversion comparable to the conventional powdered catalysts with less than one-tenth catalyst weights. The significant advantages of the PSCs are their high mechanical flexibility and material workability. So far, a functionally-graded catalytic reaction field which leads to uniform temperature distribution during biogas reforming resulting in stable operation of planar SOFC was successfully developed by the PSC array based on the kinetic simulation model built in this research.