Molten carbonate fuel cell - has sintered cathode of lithium ferrite and opt. lithiated nickel oxide with high conductivity and catalytic activity

摘要

Molten carbonate fuel cell (MCFC) has a metallic current transfer plate (6), a cathode (2), a matrix (5) impregnated with Li2CO3 and K2CO3 melt (4), an anode (3) and another metallic current transfer plate (7), laminated in the given sequence. The cathode (2) is sintered and is based on LiFeO2 and opt. lithiated NiO with esp. high electrical conductivity and esp. large intrinsic surface area such that, when used with a standard anode of sintered Ni contg. 15 (wt.)% Cr, it gives a cell resistance of 0.95+/- 0.15 ohm.cm. Pref. the cathode may also contain MgO (0-20%). The transfer plates consist of stainless steel plated with Ni on both sides and pref. are bipolar, with ducts for the fuel on one side and O2 on the other. The cathode is produced from carbonyl Fe (I) and opt. carbonyl Ni (granulation pref. 0.5-4 microns) plus one or more additives, an organic binder (III) vapourised at a temp. below the cell operating temp. and an emulsifying liq. (IV). The components are mixed to a homogeneous, bubble-free paste, made into a film and sintered at 550-650 deg.C in a reducing atmos. to a porous metal matrix. ADVANTAGE - The electrical resistance of the cathode is reduced, whilst its catalytic activity is increased. Also, a good and permanent contact between the transfer plates and cathode is ensured by chemical modification. (7pp Dwg.No.1/7)