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Title: Corrosion resistant PEM fuel cell

Abstract

The present invention contemplates a PEM fuel cell having electrical contact elements (including bipolar plates/septums) comprising a titanium nitride coated light weight metal (e.g., Al or Ti) core, having a passivating, protective metal layer intermediate the core and the titanium nitride. The protective layer forms a barrier to further oxidation/corrosion when exposed to the fuel cell's operating environment. Stainless steels rich in CR, Ni, and Mo are particularly effective protective interlayers.

Inventors:
 [1];  [2];  [3];  [4];  [5]
  1. Troy, MI
  2. Okemos, MI
  3. West Bloomfield, MI
  4. Bloomfield, MI
  5. Orion Township, Oakland County, MI
Issue Date:
Research Org.:
General Motors LLC, Detroit, MI (United States)
OSTI Identifier:
870920
Patent Number(s):
5624769
Assignee:
General Motors Corporation (Detroit, MI)
Patent Classifications (CPCs):
H - ELECTRICITY H01 - BASIC ELECTRIC ELEMENTS H01M - PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY
Y - NEW / CROSS SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES Y02 - TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE Y02E - REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION
DOE Contract Number:  
AC02-90CH10435
Resource Type:
Patent
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
corrosion; resistant; pem; fuel; cell; contemplates; electrical; contact; elements; including; bipolar; plates; septums; comprising; titanium; nitride; coated; light; weight; metal; core; passivating; protective; layer; intermediate; forms; barrier; oxidation; exposed; operating; environment; stainless; steels; rich; particularly; effective; interlayers; operating environment; nitride coated; fuel cell; bipolar plates; protective interlayer; protective layer; light weight; stainless steels; corrosion resistant; titanium nitride; metal layer; electrical contact; stainless steel; bipolar plate; pem fuel; particularly effective; protective metal; layer forms; resistant pem; coated light; contact elements; weight metal; including bipolar; /429/

Citation Formats

Li, Yang, Meng, Wen-Jin, Swathirajan, Swathy, Harris, Stephen J, and Doll, Gary L. Corrosion resistant PEM fuel cell. United States: N. p., 1997. Web.
Li, Yang, Meng, Wen-Jin, Swathirajan, Swathy, Harris, Stephen J, & Doll, Gary L. Corrosion resistant PEM fuel cell. United States.
Li, Yang, Meng, Wen-Jin, Swathirajan, Swathy, Harris, Stephen J, and Doll, Gary L. Wed . "Corrosion resistant PEM fuel cell". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/870920.
@article{osti_870920,
title = {Corrosion resistant PEM fuel cell},
author = {Li, Yang and Meng, Wen-Jin and Swathirajan, Swathy and Harris, Stephen J and Doll, Gary L},
abstractNote = {The present invention contemplates a PEM fuel cell having electrical contact elements (including bipolar plates/septums) comprising a titanium nitride coated light weight metal (e.g., Al or Ti) core, having a passivating, protective metal layer intermediate the core and the titanium nitride. The protective layer forms a barrier to further oxidation/corrosion when exposed to the fuel cell's operating environment. Stainless steels rich in CR, Ni, and Mo are particularly effective protective interlayers.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Wed Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1997},
month = {Wed Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1997}
}

Works referenced in this record:

Electrochemically measured porosity of magnetron sputtered TiN films deposited at various substrate orientations
journal, November 1986


A study of the corrosion behavior of TiN films
journal, February 1985


A study of defects in sputtered TiN coatings by electrochemical polarization
journal, November 1986

  • Telama, A.; Mäntylä, T.; Kettunen, P.
  • Journal of Vacuum Science & Technology A: Vacuum, Surfaces, and Films, Vol. 4, Issue 6
  • https://doi.org/10.1116/1.573659

Epitaxial growth of TiN films on (100) silicon substrates by laser physical vapor deposition
journal, September 1992


The microstructure of sputter‐deposited coatings
journal, November 1986


Corrosion behaviour of TiN films obtained by plasma-assisted chemical vapour deposition
journal, April 1994


Corrosion studies with hard coating-substrate systems
journal, November 1992


Morphology of ion-plated titanium and aluminum films deposited at various substrate temperatures
journal, November 1978


Corrosion Testing of ZrN and TiN Films
journal, January 1991


Growth and properties of single crystal TiN films deposited by reactive magnetron sputtering
journal, March 1985

  • Johansson, B. O.; Sundgren, J. ‐E.; Greene, J. E.
  • Journal of Vacuum Science & Technology A: Vacuum, Surfaces, and Films, Vol. 3, Issue 2
  • https://doi.org/10.1116/1.573255

Study of the behaviour in acidic solution of titanium and TiN coatings obtained by cathodic sputtering
journal, December 1987