Patent ID: 7282280

Claim:
A method for preparing a cathode for a molten carbonate fuel cell, wherein the fuel cell comprises: (1) a cathode of porous nickel oxide, which is coated with catalytically activating particles, (2) an anode of porous nickel, and (3) a melt of at least one alkali metal carbonate as electrolyte, which is disposed between the cathode and the anode and taken up in a finely porous electrolyte matrix, the method for preparing the cathode comprising: (a) providing a sintered electrode web of porous nickel to form the cathode, which is converted to nickel oxide during operation of the fuel cell, and (b) coating the cathode with particles of at least one non-oxide inorganic metal compound, before the cathode is incorporated in the fuel cell, wherein the non-oxide inorganic metal compound is a metal carbonitride, wherein during operation of the fuel cell the non-oxide inorganic metal compound particles coated on the cathode are converted in situ to corresponding catalytically activating metal oxide particles with generation of a gas by the particles on the cathode simultaneously with the formation of the nickel oxide of the cathode, and wherein the gas provides tears in a surface of the nickel oxide of the cathode such that at least a portion of each of the particles is exposed from the surface of the nickel oxide through a respective tear.