Synthesis of CoO/Ni Composite Powders for Molten Carbonate Fuel Cells

Abstract

CoO/Ni composite particles were prepared by the advanced mechanical‐coating method called Mechanofusion™. These composite particles were composed of nickel particles uniformly covered with fine CoO particles. A new cathode structure for molten carbonate fuel cells (MCFCs), where the NiO core was coated with an outer layer of lithiated cobalt and nickel solid‐solution oxide (Li(Co,Ni) oxide), was formed by oxidation and lithiation using these CoO/Ni composite particles. The solubility of nickel in this Li(Co,Ni) oxide layer into carbonate melt decreased to two‐thirds of that of NiO when used as a cathode for MCFCs.