biostudies-literatureHong KKorea Electric Power CorporationNational Research Foundation of Korea (NRF)Korea Institute for Advancement of TechnologyKorea Institute for Advancement of Technology (KIAT)National Research Foundation of KoreaKorea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO)7485https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC10657466biostudies-literatureUnknown14(1)Direct methane protonic ceramic fuel cells are promising electrochemical devices that address the technical and economic challenges of conventional ceramic fuel cells. However, Ni, a catalyst of protonic ceramic fuel cells exhibits sluggish reaction kinetics for CH4 conversion and a low tolerance against carbon-coking, limiting its wider applications. Herein, we introduce a self-assembled Ni-Rh bimetallic catalyst that exhibits a significantly high CH4 conversion and carbon-coking tolerance. It enables direct methane protonic ceramic fuel cells to operate with a high maximum power density of ~0.50 W·cm-2 at 500 °C, surpassing all other previously reported values from direct methane protonic ceramic fuel cells and even solid oxide fuel cells. Moreover, it allows stable operation with a degrNature communicationsDirect methane protonic ceramic fuel cells with self-assembled Ni-Rh bimetallic catalyst.PMC106574662022R1A2C30123722022R1A4A1031182R23XO032023M3J1A1091543P0021202Bae YKim DBang SMin JHong JHong KLee JLee HKLee WChoi MfalseDirect methane protonic ceramic fuel cells with self-assembled Ni-Rh bimetallic catalyst.Direct methane protonic ceramic fuel cells are promising electrochemical devices that address the technical and economic challenges of conventional ceramic fuel cells. However, Ni, a catalyst of protonic ceramic fuel cells exhibits sluggish reaction kinetics for CH4 conversion and a low tolerance against carbon-coking, limiting its wider applications. Herein, we introduce a self-assembled Ni-Rh bimetallic catalyst that exhibits a significantly high CH4 conversion and carbon-coking tolerance. It enables direct methane protonic ceramic fuel cells to operate with a high maximum power density of ~0.50 W·cm-2 at 500 °C, surpassing all other previously reported values from direct methane protonic ceramic fuel cells and even solid oxide fuel cells. Moreover, it allows stable operation with a degr2023-01-01T00:00:00Z2023 Nov2025-04-03T22:18:04.722Z2025-04-03T22:18:04.722ZS-EPMC106574663798034310.1038/s41467-023-43388-8