Institute of Gas Technology

Electric Power Research Institute Incorporated

Other

Rafael A Donado

Estela T Ong

Leonard G Marianowski

Hansraj C Maru

Robert J Remick

Kenneth E Hrdina

Elias Humberto Camara

Methods of making fuel cell electrodes in which the pores of an electrically conductive metal substrate are filled with a slurry containing particles of the same or a different electrically conductive metal. The liquid phase of the slurry is removed, leaving the particles of conductive material in the pores of the substrate; and the conductive metal(s) making up the substrate and the metal particles supplied from the slurry are converted to oxide.

Fuel cell cathodes

Fuel cell cathodes formed by the oxidation of a porous, fiber reinforced, green structure and methods of fabricating cathodes of the character just described.

A process for producing porous structures for use in molten carbonate fuel cells in which a powder comprising at least one of a non-alloyed metal powder and a metal oxide powder, and a ceramic oxide powder is mixed, formed into a desired shape and sintered in an oxidizing atmosphere at a temperature between 900.degree. C. and about 1400.degree. C. via reactive oxidation to form a sintered oxide structure, which is then cooled to 700.degree. C. to 1100.degree. C. and treated in a reducing atmosphere to form a metallic structure with the non-reducible oxide dispersed within the metal.

Porous structures from solid solutions of reduced oxides

Methods of fabricating anodes for high temperature fuel cell in which an alloy powder with a major phase of a base metal and a minor phase of a stabilizing, alloying metal is preformed into the shape wanted in the anode. This green structure is sintered under conditions which produce a metallic, essentially oxygen-free structure. The sintered structure is selectively oxidized in situ in a fuel cell under conditions which promote internal oxidation and a consequent increase in the stability of the anode under operating conditions where the anode is exposed to high temperatures for long periods of time.

Methods of making anodes for high temperature fuel cells

A molten alkali metal carbonates fuel cell porous anode of lithium ferrite and a metal or metal alloy of nickel, cobalt, nickel/iron, cobalt/iron, nickel/iron/aluminum, cobalt/iron/aluminum and mixtures thereof wherein the total iron content including ferrite and iron of the composite is about 25 to about 80 percent, based upon the total anode, provided aluminum when present is less than about 5 weight percent of the anode. A process for production of the lithium ferrite containing anode by slipcasting.

Carbonate fuel cell anodes

A molten carbonate fuel cell start-up process wherein at least one cell unit having a metallic cathode, a metallic anode, and green tapes of electrolyte matrix and electrolyte carbonate between the cathode and anode is heated to temperatures about 250.degree. to about 350.degree. C. in the presence of oxygen-containing gas with continued heating to temperatures above the melting point of the carbonate electrolyte in the presence of inert gas and about 0.5 to about 10 mole percent hydrogen, based upon the total gas composition, and maintaining temperatures above the melting point of the carbonate electrolyte for a time sufficient for the carbonate to distribute itself to the cell components, and then introducing oxidant gas to contact the cathode and fuel gas to contact the anode for operation of the fuel cell. The start-up process according to this invention provides simultaneous oxidation and lithiation of the cathode and provides good electrical conductivity and catalytic properties of the cathode for stable fuel cell operation.

Molten carbonate fuel cell start-up process

A process for producing stabilized molten carbonate fuel cell porous metal anodes by impregnating a porous metallic anode in an aqueous solution having dissolved therein a water soluble salt of a structure stabilizing agent; drying the impregnated porous anode to evaporate free water and form hydrated salts of the stabilizing agent on the surface of the metal particles, further heating the impregnated dried porous anodes to dehydrate the hydrated compounds on the surface of the metal particles, and heating the porous anodes to a temperature of about 600.degree. to about 700.degree. C. in a reducing atmosphere forming particles of the stabilizing agent on the surface of the metal particles. Suitable stabilizing agents include water soluble salts of chromium, zirconium, aluminum, and mixtures thereof. The porous metallic anodes produced according to this process provide stability against sintering and creep resistance during molten carbonate fuel cell operation.

Process for producing stabilized molten carbonate fuel cell porous anodes

A molten alkali metal carbonates fuel cell porous anode with a stabilizing agent to maintain porosity and surface area during fuel cell operation. A molten alkali carbonates fuel cell having the above stabilized anode and a method for production of such porous anodes.

A high temperature molten carbonate fuel cell ferrous metal cell housing having about 2 to about 70 weight percent aluminum content in the cell housing surface wet seal area prior to cell operation providing corrosion inhibition during fuel cell operation.

Growing community of inventors

Chicago, IL, United States of America

Rafael A Donado