17 - Molten Carbonates from Fuel Cells to New Energy Devices

Abstract

Chemical and electrochemical reactions in molten carbonates offer a large extent of uses, in particular, in the field of energy production. Such media involve species, such as carbon and carbonaceous species (carbon dioxide or monoxide), significant for energy generation or even for the production of fuels. Moreover, their oxidative character due to O2, O2−O22− species, may have an important role in waste treatments, homogeneous catalysis and synthesis. This chapter focuses on some physicochemical properties of molten carbonates, before developing in a prospective way their main application, the molten carbonate fuel cell (MCFC). New concepts will be investigated, such as the direct carbon fuel cell with molten carbonates as electrolytes or fuel carriers and composite high-temperature fuel cells combining the features of solid oxide fuel cell and MCFC. Separation and capture of CO2 will shortly be presented. Other topics, such as the oxidative coupling of methane in molten carbonates, will be briefly mentioned.