MCFC Electrolyte, Electrode, and Catalyst

The purpose of the electrolyte is to attract and selectively diffuse ions from the cathode to the anode, while also preventing gases from diffusing across. The electrol5de of an MCFC is molten and therefore requires a matrix of support to hold it in place. The electrolyte is held in place by capillary forces, which are determined by the pore size of the matrix. UAIO2 is typically used for the matrix material. The composition of the electrolyte greatly 

In addition to wetting ability, evaporation is a key issue for MCFCs. Potassium is the most volatile species that could be present in the electrolyte. A loss in electrolyte is directly translated to a loss in cell performance. 

Therefore, cells that contain Li/K electrolytes are inherently affected. In all cases, electrolyte evaporation could possibly be a cell lifetime limiting issue. 

The anode side contains the reaction of hydrogen oxidation by carbonate ions, and therefore there is little free oxygen available to create a corrosive 

---