Corrosion test cell for bipolar plates

Patent · Tue Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 2002

OSTI ID:874751

Weisbrod, Kirk R ^[1]

---

1. Los Alamos, NM

A corrosion test cell for evaluating corrosion resistance in fuel cell bipolar plates is described. The cell has a transparent or translucent cell body having a pair of identical cell body members that seal against opposite sides of a bipolar plate. The cell includes an anode chamber and an cathode chamber, each on opposite sides of the plate. Each chamber contains a pair of mesh platinum current collectors and a catalyst layer pressed between current collectors and the plate. Each chamber is filled with an electrolyte solution that is replenished with fluid from a much larger electrolyte reservoir. The cell includes gas inlets to each chamber for hydrogen gas and air. As the gases flow into a chamber, they pass along the platinum mesh, through the catalyst layer, and to the bipolar plate. The gas exits the chamber through passageways that provide fluid communication between the anode and cathode chambers and the reservoir, and exits the test cell through an exit port in the reservoir. The flow of gas into the cell produces a constant flow of fresh electrolyte into each chamber. Openings in each cell body is member allow electrodes to enter the cell body and contact the electrolyte in the reservoir therein. During operation, while hydrogen gas is passed into one chamber and air into the other chamber, the cell resistance is measured, which is used to evaluate the corrosion properties of the bipolar plate.

• Research Organization: Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-36
• Assignee: The Regents of the University of California (Los Alamos, NM)
• Patent Number(s): US 6454922
• OSTI ID: 874751
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

/204/429/
air
allow
anode
bipolar
catalyst
catalyst layer
cathode
cell
chamber
chambers
collectors
communication
constant
contact
contains
corrosion
current
current collector
described
electrodes
electrolyte
enter
evaluate
evaluating
exit
exits
filled
flow
fluid
fluid communication
fresh
fuel
fuel cell
gas
gases
hydrogen
hydrogen gas
identical
inlets
larger
layer
measured
mesh
openings
operation
opposite
pair
pass
passageways
passed
plate
plates
platinum
pressed
produces
properties
provide
replenished
reservoir
resistance
seal
solution
translucent
transparent