According to embodiments of the present disclosure, a solid oxide fuel cell includes a cathode, an anode, and a solid oxide electrolyte disposed between the anode and the cathode. The anode includes a porous scaffold that includes a solid oxide having one or more metal nanoparticles disposed on one or more surfaces of the porous scaffold. The porous scaffold and the solid oxide electrolyte are formed from La.sub.0.8Sr.sub.0.2Ga.sub.0.83Mg.sub.0.17O.sub.2.815 (LSGM), and the metal nanoparticles are selected from the group consisting of platinum, nickel, gold, and combinations thereof. Methods of synthesizing ammonia using the fuel cell are also described.

A combination of redox active compounds is useful in connection with a rechargeable battery and includes a first redox active compound having a first solubility, and a second redox active compound having a second solubility, wherein the combination has a third solubility that is greater than one or both of the first solubility and the second solubility.

A system and method for controlling operation of a fuel cell are provided. The method includes estimating an effective catalyst amount within a fuel cell stack and monitoring a change in the estimated effective catalyst amount according to time. An irreversible degradation state of the fuel cell stack is determined based on the monitored change in the estimated effective catalyst amount.

An anion exchange polymer includes aryl ether linkage free polyarylenes having aromatic/polyaromatic rings in polymer backbone and a tethered alkyl quaternary ammonium hydroxide side groups. This anion exchange polymer may be utilized in an anion exchange process and may be made into a thin anion transfer membrane. An ion transfer membrane may be mechanically reinforced having one or more layers of functional polymer based on a terphenyl backbone with quaternary ammonium functional groups and an inert porous scaffold material for reinforcement. An anion exchange membrane may have multilayers of anion exchange polymers which each containing varying types of backbones, varying degrees of functionalization, or varying functional groups to reduce ammonia crossover through the membrane.

A fuel cell is an ammonia fuel cell using an ammonia-containing fuel. A catalyst used for an anode of the fuel cell is a ruthenium complex having two first ligands and one second ligand, and the first ligand is pyridine or a condensed cyclic pyridine compound with or without a substituent, and the second ligand is 2,2′-bipyridyl-6,6′-dicarboxylic acid with or without a substituent on a pyridine ring.

A method for ammonia decomposition is disclosed. The method may comprise providing a catalyst comprising an zirconia support and a layer adjacent to the support. The layer comprises a tetragonal phase comprising zirconium, cerium, and oxygen, an oxide of at least one of an alkali metal and a rare earth metal, and an active metal. The method may comprise bringing the catalyst in contact with ammonia at a temperature of from about 400° C. to 700° C. to generate a reformate stream comprising hydrogen and nitrogen at an ammonia conversion efficiency of at least about 70%. The method may comprise directing the hydrogen to generate electricity. The method may comprise generating heat for a reformer comprising the catalyst by combustion of gases or by electricity generated from hydrogen.

A method for the combined production of electricity and nitric oxide,: comprising the steps of: providing an SOFC comprising an anodic side comprising a solid gas-permeable anode, a gas inlet and a gas outlet, a cathodic side comprising a solid gas-permeable cathode and a gas inlet and a gas outlet, and a fully dense solid electrolyte, separating the cathodic side from the anodic side; introducing an oxygen-containing gas in the inlet of the cathodic side of the SOFC; introducing an ammonia-containing gas stream in the inlet of the anodic side of the SOFC; collecting nitric oxide at the outlet of the anodic side and collecting a current flowing between the anodic side and the cathodic side.

Various designs and configurations of and methods of operating fuel cell units, fuel cell systems and combined heat and power systems are provided that permit efficient thermal management of such units and systems to improve their operation.

Stable solutions comprising high concentrations of charged coordination complexes, including iron hexacyanides are described, as are methods of preparing and using same in chemical energy storage systems, including flow battery systems. The use of these compositions allows energy storage densities at levels unavailable by other iron hexacyanide systems.

Various designs and configurations of and methods of operating fuel cell units, fuel cell systems and combined heat and power systems are provided that permit efficient thermal management of such units and systems to improve their operation.