Low Cost, Environmental Friendly Carbonate Fuel Cell Matrix Fabrication

40558 November 12, 1996 Energy Research Corporation The carbonate fuel cell is widely recognized as a clean and efficient source of electric power for the future. Reduction of carbonate fuel cell cost is desired to further stimulate market interest. In current carbonate fuel cell matrix manufacturing, the ceramic material, typically lithium aluminate, is dispersed in a solvent to which organic binders and plasticizers are later added to form a bindered ceramic slurry. The slurry is subsequently formed into thin sheet layers in a tape casting machine, where the solvents are evaporated by applying dry air and/or heat. The organic solvent is incinerated or condensed and collected for recycling. This project will develop technology to replace the solvents by a less costly, aqueous solvent substitute. Phase I will identify an aqueous binder system, compatible for use in the carbonate fuel cell, and develop a slurry manufacturing method. Lab-size tapes from these slurries will be cast and evaluated. Finally, a laboratory-size single cell will be constructed and operated. The manufacturing process will be scaled-up and optimized, enabling full area stack test evaluation during Phase II. Anticipated Results/Potential Commercial Applications as described by the awardee: This process should facilitate commercialization of the carbonate fuel cell power plant for applications such as dispersed and baseload utility power generation, as well as for cogeneration applications. The technology could also be easily applied to other applications such as computer chip fabrication which utilizes similar ceramic tape casting manufacturing processes.