Patent · US Expired

Method of preparing electrolyte for use in fuel cells

US4115632A · kind A · utility

25Cited by
5References
11Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateMay 5, 1977
Grant dateSep 19, 1978
Priority date
Expiry dateMay 5, 1997

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH01M8/145
  • WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

An electrolyte compact for fuel cells includes a particulate support material of lithium aluminate that contains a mixture of alkali metal compounds, such as carbonates or hydroxides, as the active electrolyte material. The porous lithium aluminate support structure is formed by mixing alumina particles with a solution of lithium hydroxide and another alkali metal hydroxide, evaporating the solvent from the solution and heating to a temperature sufficient to react the lithium hydroxide with alumina to form lithium aluminate. Carbonates are formed by reacting the alkali metal hydroxides with carbon dioxide gas in an exothermic reaction which may proceed simultaneously with the formation with the lithium aluminate. The mixture of lithium aluminate and alkali metal in an electrolyte active material is pressed or otherwise processed to form the electrolyte structure for assembly into a fuel cell.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.