Development of Nickel Electrodes for Molten Carbonate Fuel Cells: Performance Characterization and Optimization of the Manufacturing Process

The growing need to reduce CO2 emissions and promote the energy transition has driven the development of high-efficiency electrochemical technologies such as Molten Carbonate Fuel Cells (MCFCs), which can simultaneously generate electricity and capture CO2. This work focuses on the development of nickel electrodes produced by electrodeposition, a technique that enables precise control over the morphology and porosity of the deposited material. The experimental activity mainly investigated the influence of electrical parameters (current density and potential difference) and deposition time on metal film growth, with the aim of optimizing the porous structure and enhancing electrochemical performance. The prepared samples were characterized in terms of mass, thickness, and morphology by scanning electron microscopy, confirming consistency with Faraday’s law. Subsequently, the electrodes were tested in cell stations to evaluate their electrochemical behavior under operating conditions representative of MCFC operation. The results demonstrated that an appropriate combination of electrical parameters and deposition time enables the formation of uniform, porous nickel coatings suitable for electrolyte retention. Electrodeposition thus proved to be an effective and scalable approach for the fabrication of optimized nickel electrodes for molten carbonate fuel cell applications.