Carbon-coated stainless steel as PEFC bipolar plate material

• Published in: Journal of power sources Vol. 174; no. 1; pp. 199 - 205
• Main Authors: Fukutsuka, Tomokazu, Yamaguchi, Takayuki, Miyano, Shin-Ichi, Matsuo, Yoshiaki, Sugie, Yosohiro, Ogumi, Zempachi
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Lausanne Elsevier B.V 2007; Elsevier Sequoia
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Bipolar plate; Carbon-coating; Corrosion; Energy; Energy. Thermal use of fuels; Equipments for energy generation and conversion: thermal, electrical, mechanical energy, etc; Exact sciences and technology; Fuel cells; PEFC; Stainless steel; Bipolar plate; Corrosion; Carbon-coating; Stainless steel; PEFC; Atomic force microscopy; Gaseous diffusion; Polymer electrolytes; Contact resistance; Corrosion protection; Chemical vapor deposition; Corrosion resistance; Raman spectrometry; Protective coatings; Fuel cell; Anodic polarization
• ISSN: 0378-7753; 1873-2755
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jpowsour.2007.08.096

Stainless steel is quite attractive as bipolar plate material for polymer electrolyte fuel cells (PEFCs). Passive film on stainless steel protects the bulk of it from corrosion. However, passive film is composed of mixed metal oxides and causes a decrease in the interfacial contact resistance (ICR) between the bipolar plate and gas diffusion layer. Low ICR and high corrosion resistance are both required. In order to impart low ICR to stainless steel (SUS304), carbon-coating was prepared by using plasma-assisted chemical vapor deposition. Carbon-coated SUS304 was characterized by Raman spectroscopy and atomic force microscopy. Anodic polarization behavior under PEFC operating conditions (H 2SO 4 solution bubbled with H 2 (anode)/O 2 (cathode) containing 2 ppm HF at 80 °C) was examined. Based on the results of the ICR evaluated before and after anodic polarization, the potential for using carbon-coated SUS304 as bipolar plate material for PEFC was discussed.