Description:
Birch biochar is investigated as the fuel of a direct carbon fuel cell (DCFC) and compared with pine char and commercial activated carbon. Birch biochar, with a high content of alkali and alkaline earth metals and a low graphitization degree, shows the highest reactivity with both O 2 and CO 2 as the oxidant. The carbon fuels are mixed with molten carbonate and tested in an anode-supported DCFC with a 4 μm-thick yttria-stabilized zirconia electrolyte layer. The cell with birch char as the fuel exhibits the highest maximum power density of 407 mW cm −2 at 750 °C. The effect of the reverse Boudouard reaction on the performance of DCFC is discussed. The results demonstrate that birch char is a promising sustainable fuel for high-performance DCFC