Performance and Morphology of a New Cathode Made from CoO/Ni Composite Particles for MCFCs

Abstract

CoO/Ni composite particle was prepared from filament shape Ni particle as a cathode material for Molten Carbonate Fuel Cells (MCFCs) by a mechanical coating technique. The composite particle had the morphology consisted of a Ni grain coated with fine CoO particles without changing the filament structure. Moreover, the composite cathode was successfully fabricated from the CoO/Ni composite particles by a doctor blade tape casting method. The composite cathode had homogenous porous structure with good connections of grains. It suggests that a large sized composite cathode can be fabricated by the usual tape casting technique. Also, Ni solubility of the composite cathode into (Li_0.62K_0.38)₂CO₃ melt at 650°C in 30% CO₂-70% air atmosphere was about half of that of NiO. The cathode activity and IR of the composite cathode was almost the same as that of the usual NiO cathode. As a result, it is concluded that the composite cathode can be used as a new cathode for MCFCs which achieves its high stability in the carbonate melt and the large sized composite cathode.