Method for forming molten carbonate fuel cell component and structure
AssigneeElectric Power Research, Inc.
InventorA. John Appleby
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Abstract
A molten carbonate fuel cell with oppositely charged porous electrodes and a continuous electrolyte layer therebetween formed of a porous non-electrically conducting binder containing a carbonate salt. The electrolyte layer is formed by suspending the porous binder powder in a dielectric liquid vehicle and contacting it with one of the fuel cell electrodes. An electric field is applied between the electrode and a spaced counter-electrode in the suspension to cause electrophoretic deposition of the powder in a dense binder layer, adhered to and supported by the electrode. The binder layer-one electrode is assembled into a molten carbonate fuel cell, such as by affixing the binder layer side to an oppositely charged electrode plate, and incorporating the combination into a fuel cell.
Claims16
A method for the formation of a molten carbonate fuel cell including oppositely charged porous electrodes and a continuous electrolyte layer therebetween formed of a porous non-electrically conducting binder containing a carbonate salt in its pores, comprising the steps of contacting a suspension of porous non-electrically conducting binder powder in a dielectric liquid vehicle with at least one surface of one of said fuel cell electrodes, and, with said binder powder in a charged state, applying an electric field between said one electrode and a spaced counter-electrode in said suspension to cause electrophoretic deposition of said powder in a continuous dense binder layer adhered to and supported by said one electrode.
A component for a molten carbonate fuel cell comprising a porous fuel cell electrode and a continuous dense, porous, non-electrically conducting binder layer adhered to and supported by a surface of said electrode, said binder layer being of sufficient porosity to be impregnable with a carbonate salt and of insufficient thickness to be self-supporting.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.