Ni-Al alloy anode for molten carbonate fuel cell made by in-situ sintering the Ni-Al alloy and method for making the same

Abstract

Disclosed is a Ni—Al alloy anode for molten carbonate fuel cell made by in-situ sintering the Ni—Al alloy. Further, disclosed is a method for preparing the same comprising steps of preparing a sheet with Ni—Al alloy powders (S 1 ); and installing the sheet in a fuel cell without any heat treatment for sintering the Ni—Al alloy in the sheet and then in-situ sintering the Ni—Al alloy in the sheet during a pretreatment process of the cell with the sheet (S 2 ), wherein a reaction activity of the Ni—Al alloy anode can be maintained, the method is simple and economic, and a mass production of the Ni—Al alloy anode and a scale-up in the method are easy.

1 . A Ni—Al alloy anode for molten carbonate fuel cell wherein a sheet made of Ni—Al alloy powders is directly installed in the cell without any heat treatment for sintering the Ni—Al alloy in the sheet and then the Ni—Al alloy in the sheet is in-situ sintered during a pretreatment process of the cell with the sheet.  
     
     
         2 . The Ni—Al alloy anode according to  claim 1 , wherein an inert gas is injected so as to control an oxidation of nickel during the in-situ sintering process.  
     
     
         3 . The Ni—Al alloy anode according to  claim 1 , wherein, during the in-situ sintering process, the inert gas is injected up to the point before a temperature at which organic binders used to prepare the sheet are removed, then air is injected in such a temperature scope wherein the organic binders are removed, and then hydrogen and carbon dioxide are simultaneously injected after the removal of the organic binders and up to the point before an operating temperature of the cell.  
     
     
         4 . A method for preparing a Ni—Al alloy anode for molten carbonate fuel cell comprising steps of: 
 preparing a sheet with Ni—Al alloy powders (S 1 ); and    installing the sheet in a fuel cell without any heat treatment for sintering the Ni—Al alloy in the sheet, and then in-situ sintering the Ni—Al alloy in the sheet during a pretreatment process of the cell with the sheet (S 2 ).    
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 4 , wherein, in the step of S 2 , an inert gas is injected so as to control an oxidation of nickel during the in-situ sintering process.  
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 5 , wherein, In the step of S 2 , during the in-situ sintering process, the inert gas is injected up to the point before a temperature at which organic binders used to prepare the sheet are removed, then air is injected in such a temperature scope wherein the organic binders are removed, and then hydrogen and carbon dioxide are simultaneously injected after the removal of the organic binders and up to the point before an operating temperature of the cell.