International Fuel Cells, LLC

The United States of America As Represented by the United States

Richard C Nickols, Jr

Myron Krasij

Paul R Watson

Thomas E Swarr

The rate of noble metal crystallite recrystallization on a carbon-supported noble metal catalyst is reduced by dispersing two or more different kinds of noble metal-containing crystallites onto the surface of the carbon support. The crystallites have either different unit cell configurations or different unit cell sizes. The reduced rate of noble metal crystallite recrystallization results, over a period of time, in higher crystallite surface area and therefore, better catalyst performance compared to conventional carbon-supported noble metal catalysts. Fuel cells which incorporate such improved catalysts as cathode catalysts are capable of operating at maximum power production for longer periods of time than fuel cells which use conventional catalysts as cathode catalysts.

Method to retard catalyst recrystallization

A method for fabricating electrical discharge machining electrodes includes forming a thin electrode shell by compression molding a mixture of carbon particles and an organic binder. The electrode shell is then thermally processed to graphitize the organic binder and carbon producing an electrode with the structural integrity needed so as to be useful in electrical discharge machining.

Method of making electrical discharge machining electrodes

A graphite separator plate for an electrochemical cell stack is formed from component parts which are joined together edge to edge. The edges of the plates are scarfed to increase the bond area and a heat activated fluoropolymer adhesive is used to bond adjacent plates together. This allows production of plates with a larger surface areas thereby improving the economics of the cell stack.

Composite graphite separator plate for fuel cell stack

A method of forming thin porous sheets of ceramic material for use as electrodes or other components in a molten carbonate fuel cell is disclosed. The method involves spray drying a slurry of fine ceramic particles in liquid carrier to produce generally spherical agglomerates of high porosity and a rough surface texture. The ceramic particles may include the electrode catalyst and the agglomerates can be calcined to improve mechanical strength. After slurrying with suitable volatile material and binder tape casting is used to form sheets that are sufficiently strong for further processing and handling in the assembly of a high temperature fuel cell.

Method of preparing thin porous sheets of ceramic material

In a stacked array of molten carbonate fuel cells, a fuel cell separator is positioned between adjacent fuel cells to provide isolation as well as a conductive path therebetween. The center portion of the fuel cell separator includes a generally rectangular, flat, electrical conductor. Around the periphery of the flat portion of the separator are positioned a plurality of elongated resilient flanges which form a gas-tight seal around the edges of the fuel cell. With one elongated flange resiliently engaging a respective edge of the center portion of the separator, the sealing flanges, which are preferably comprised of a noncorrosive material such as an alloy of yttrium, iron, aluminum or chromium, form a tight-fitting wet seal for confining the corrosive elements of the fuel cell therein. This arrangement permits a good conductive material which may be highly subject to corrosion and dissolution to be used in combination with a corrosion-resistant material in the fuel cell separator of a molten carbonate fuel cell for improved fuel cell conductivity and a gas-tight wet seal.

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East Hartford, CT, United States of America

Richard C Nickols, Jr