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Title: Pre-Oxidized and Nitrided Stainless Steel Foil for Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell Bipolar Plates: Part 2- Single-Cell Fuel Cell Evaluation of Stamped Plates

Abstract

Thermal (gas) nitridation of stainless steel alloys can yield low interfacial contact resistance (ICR), electrically conductive and corrosion-resistant nitride containing surface layers (Cr{sub 2}N, CrN, TiN, V{sub 2}N, VN, etc.) of interest for fuel cells, batteries, and sensors. This paper presents results of proton exchange membrane (PEM) single-cell fuel cell studies of stamped and pre-oxidized/nitrided developmental Fe-20Cr-4V weight percent (wt.%) and commercial type 2205 stainless steel alloy foils. The single-cell fuel cell behavior of the stamped and pre-oxidized/nitrided material was compared to as-stamped (no surface treatment) 904L, 2205, and Fe-20Cr-4V stainless steel alloy foils and machined graphite of similar flow field design. The best fuel cell behavior among the alloys was exhibited by the pre-oxidized/nitrided Fe-20Cr-4V, which exhibited {approx}5-20% better peak power output than untreated Fe-20Cr-4V, 2205, and 904L metal stampings. Durability was assessed for pre-oxidized/nitrided Fe-20Cr-4V, 904L metal, and graphite plates by 1000+ h of cyclic single-cell fuel cell testing. All three materials showed good durability with no significant degradation in cell power output. Post-test analysis indicated no metal ion contamination of the membrane electrode assemblies (MEAs) occurred with the pre-oxidized and nitrided Fe-20Cr-4V or graphite plates, and only a minor amount of contamination with the 904L plates.

Authors:
 [1];  [1];  [1];  [1];  [2];  [2];  [3];  [3];  [4];  [4]
  1. ORNL
  2. GenCell Corp
  3. Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL)
  4. Arizona State University
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE)
OSTI Identifier:
982116
DOE Contract Number:  
DE-AC05-00OR22725
Resource Type:
Journal Article
Journal Name:
Journal of Power Sources
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 195; Journal Issue: 17; Journal ID: ISSN 0378-7753
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
30 DIRECT ENERGY CONVERSION; 36 MATERIALS SCIENCE; ALLOYS; CONTAMINATION; DESIGN; ELECTRODES; EVALUATION; FUEL CELLS; GRAPHITE; MEMBRANES; NITRIDATION; NITRIDES; PEAK LOAD; PLATES; PROTON EXCHANGE MEMBRANE FUEL CELLS; PROTONS; STAINLESS STEELS; SURFACE TREATMENTS; TESTING

Citation Formats

Toops, Todd J, Brady, Michael P, Tortorelli, Peter F, Pihl, Josh A, EstevezGenCell, Francisco, Connors, Dan, Garzon, Fernando, Rockward, Tommy, Gervasio, Don, and Kosaraju, S. H. Pre-Oxidized and Nitrided Stainless Steel Foil for Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell Bipolar Plates: Part 2- Single-Cell Fuel Cell Evaluation of Stamped Plates. United States: N. p., 2010. Web. doi:10.1016/j.jpowsour.2010.03.056.
Toops, Todd J, Brady, Michael P, Tortorelli, Peter F, Pihl, Josh A, EstevezGenCell, Francisco, Connors, Dan, Garzon, Fernando, Rockward, Tommy, Gervasio, Don, & Kosaraju, S. H. Pre-Oxidized and Nitrided Stainless Steel Foil for Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell Bipolar Plates: Part 2- Single-Cell Fuel Cell Evaluation of Stamped Plates. United States. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpowsour.2010.03.056
Toops, Todd J, Brady, Michael P, Tortorelli, Peter F, Pihl, Josh A, EstevezGenCell, Francisco, Connors, Dan, Garzon, Fernando, Rockward, Tommy, Gervasio, Don, and Kosaraju, S. H. 2010. "Pre-Oxidized and Nitrided Stainless Steel Foil for Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell Bipolar Plates: Part 2- Single-Cell Fuel Cell Evaluation of Stamped Plates". United States. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpowsour.2010.03.056.
@article{osti_982116,
title = {Pre-Oxidized and Nitrided Stainless Steel Foil for Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell Bipolar Plates: Part 2- Single-Cell Fuel Cell Evaluation of Stamped Plates},
author = {Toops, Todd J and Brady, Michael P and Tortorelli, Peter F and Pihl, Josh A and EstevezGenCell, Francisco and Connors, Dan and Garzon, Fernando and Rockward, Tommy and Gervasio, Don and Kosaraju, S. H.},
abstractNote = {Thermal (gas) nitridation of stainless steel alloys can yield low interfacial contact resistance (ICR), electrically conductive and corrosion-resistant nitride containing surface layers (Cr{sub 2}N, CrN, TiN, V{sub 2}N, VN, etc.) of interest for fuel cells, batteries, and sensors. This paper presents results of proton exchange membrane (PEM) single-cell fuel cell studies of stamped and pre-oxidized/nitrided developmental Fe-20Cr-4V weight percent (wt.%) and commercial type 2205 stainless steel alloy foils. The single-cell fuel cell behavior of the stamped and pre-oxidized/nitrided material was compared to as-stamped (no surface treatment) 904L, 2205, and Fe-20Cr-4V stainless steel alloy foils and machined graphite of similar flow field design. The best fuel cell behavior among the alloys was exhibited by the pre-oxidized/nitrided Fe-20Cr-4V, which exhibited {approx}5-20% better peak power output than untreated Fe-20Cr-4V, 2205, and 904L metal stampings. Durability was assessed for pre-oxidized/nitrided Fe-20Cr-4V, 904L metal, and graphite plates by 1000+ h of cyclic single-cell fuel cell testing. All three materials showed good durability with no significant degradation in cell power output. Post-test analysis indicated no metal ion contamination of the membrane electrode assemblies (MEAs) occurred with the pre-oxidized and nitrided Fe-20Cr-4V or graphite plates, and only a minor amount of contamination with the 904L plates.},
doi = {10.1016/j.jpowsour.2010.03.056},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/982116}, journal = {Journal of Power Sources},
issn = {0378-7753},
number = 17,
volume = 195,
place = {United States},
year = {Fri Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 2010},
month = {Fri Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 2010}
}