Cathode preparation method for molten carbonate fuel cell

Patent · 31 December 1987

OSTI ID:866479

Smith, James L ^[1]; Sim, James W ^[2]; Kucera, Eugenia H ^[3]

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1. Lemont, IL
2. Evergreen Park, IL
3. Downers Grove, IL

A method of preparing a porous cathode structure for use in a molten carbonate fuel cell begins by providing a porous integral plaque of sintered nickel oxide particles. The nickel oxide plaque can be obtained by oxidizing a sintered plaque of nickel metal or by compacting and sintering finely divided nickel oxide particles to the desired pore structure. The porous sintered nickel oxide plaque is contacted with a lithium salt for a sufficient time to lithiate the nickel oxide structure and thus enhance its electronic conductivity. The lithiation can be carried out either within an operating fuel cell or prior to assembling the plaque as a cathode within the fuel cell.

• Research Organization: Argonne National Laboratory (ANL), Argonne, IL
• DOE Contract Number: W-31109-ENG-38
• Assignee: United States of America represented by United States Department (Washington, DC)
• Patent Number(s): US 4721513
• OSTI ID: 866479
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

/29/429/
assembling
begins
carbonate
carbonate fuel
carried
cathode
cathode structure
cell
compacting
conductivity
contacted
desired
divided
electronic
electronic conductivity
enhance
finely
finely divided
fuel
fuel cell
integral
lithiate
lithiation
lithium
lithium salt
metal
method
molten
molten carbonate
nickel
nickel metal
nickel oxide
obtained
operating
oxide
oxide particle
oxide particles
oxidizing
particles
plaque
pore
pore structure
porous
porous cathode
porous integral
porous sintered
preparation
preparation method
preparing
prior
providing
salt
sintered
sintered nickel
sintered plaque
sintering
structure
sufficient
sufficient time
time