Method of forming a nickel fuel cell electrode

Claim 1

A METHOD OF FORMING POROUS NICKEL ELECTRODES FOR USE IN FUEL CELLS OF THE HYDROGEN-OXYGEN TYPE WHICH COMPRISES: (A) PROVIDING AN ELECTRODE HAVING A POROUS SURFACE FORMED OF SINTERED NICKEL POWDER, (B) IMPREGNATING THE POROUS SURFACE OF SAID ELECTRODE WITH A SOLUTION CONSISTING ESSENTIALLY OF LITHIUM NITRATE AND NICKEL NITRATE DISSOLVED IN WATER, (C) DRYING THE SOLUTION IMPREGNATED ELECTRODE, (D) COOLING THE DRIED ELECTRODE, (E) OXIDIZING THE IMPREGNATED ELECTRODE SURFACE BY HEATING THE ELECTRODE IN AIR FOR ABOUT ONE HOUR AT ABOUT 500 TO 700*C., (F) COOLING THE RESULTING OXIDIZED ELECTRODE, (G) IMPREGNATING THE COOLED ELECTRODE WITH A SOLUTION CONSISTING ESSENTIALLY OF LITHIUM NITRATE AND NICKEL NITRATE CONTAINING ABOUT ONE-HALF THE SALT CONCENTRATION OF THE SOLUTION OF STEP (B), (H) DRYING THE IMPREGNATED ELECTRODE, AND (I) OXIDIZING THE DRIED ELECTRODE BY HEATING IN AIR AT ABOUT 350 TO 450*C. FOR ABOUT ONE-HALF HOUR TO PRODUCE AN ELECTRODE OF IMPROVED ACTIVITY AS COMPARED TO AN ELECTRODE NO SUBJECTED TO STEPS (G) THROUGH (I).