Materials Science Forum, Vol.378-3, 718-722, 2001
Neutron texture investigation of electrolytic Li2CO3/KLiCO3 from a molten carbonate fuel cell
Two specimens of eutectic Li2CO3/KLiCO3 used as electrolytic material in a test power station operating on the basis of electrochemical reactions in molten carbonate fuel cells have been studied by neutron diffraction with respect to the formation of crystalline texture after re-solidification of the molten material, Both components, Li2CO3 and KLiCO3 are monoclinic crystallizing in the space groups C2/c and P2(1)/c, respectively. For each of the samples which originate from two different positions in the fuel cell a total of 10 experimental pole figures was obtained from the diffraction data. The quantitative analysis revealed a non-significant texture of the component Li2CO3, whereas about 50 vol% of the KLiCO3 phase exhibited strong preferred orientation with the b-c-planes of the crystallites aligned parallel to the fuel cell sheet plane. Within that plane, the b- (and c-)axes are differently oriented in the two samples. Correlations of these textures with the fuel cell design are discussed.