The contact between the anode and the carbonaceous fuel has a strong effect on the direct carbon fuel cell (DCFC) reaction characteristics. These effects are experimentally investigated by measuring the electrochemical behavior of a detached anode, an anode in physical contact with the fuel and an anode with carbon deposited on the surface in a DCFC. The results show that for the detached type DCFC, the reaction characteristics are closely related to the anode gas. In an Ar atmosphere, the main anode reactions are the electrochemical reaction to produce O-2 and the carbon gasification with the formed O-2. In a CO2 atmosphere, the main anode reactions are the carbon gasification with CO2 and the electrochemical oxidization of the formed CO. For the physical contact type DCFC, the anode reaction mechanisms are the same as for the detached type DCFC with no electrochemical oxidization of carbon at the physical contact interface between the carbonaceous fuel and the anode. Thus, the increased contact does not result in better performance. The carbon-deposited type DCFC has better performance with a significant activation polarization due to the electrochemical oxidization of the deposited carbon. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.