Rj. Berger et al., INVESTIGATION OF ALKALI CARBONATE TRANSPORT TOWARD THE CATALYST IN INTERNAL REFORMING MCFCS, Journal of the Electrochemical Society, 143(10), 1996, pp. 3186-3191
A nickel catalyst to be used for internal steam reforming in a molten
carbonate fuel cell (MCFC) must be resistant to the alkali components
(Li and K species) of the electrolyte; these components can reach the
catalyst from the anode by either transport via the vapor phase or by
means of surface creep along the walls. In a series of experiments for
determining the rates of transport, it was found that the amount of a
lkali transported by creep along a metallic wall (Au or Ni) was much s
maller than that transported via the vapor phase. The vapor transport
occurred by the formation of the alkali hydroxides. The vapor pressure
of LiOH was found to be eight times larger than that calculated from
thermodynamic data. All the Al-containing materials tested strong ly t
ook up alkali hom the gas phase. The catalysts Ni/MgO and Ni/SiO2 sint
ered strongly during exposure to gaseous LiOH and KOH.