Manufacturing and Performance Assessment of Stamped, Laser Welded, and Nitrided FeCrV Stainless Steel Bipolar Plates for Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells

Journal Article · Tue Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 2013 · International Journal of Hydrogen Energy

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhydene.2013.01.143· OSTI ID:1069314

Brady, Michael P ^[1]; Abdelhamid, Mahmoud ^[2]; Dadheech, G ^[2]; Bradley, J ^[2]; Toops, Todd J ^[1]; Meyer, III, Harry M ^[1]; Tortorelli, Peter F ^[1]

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1. ORNL
2. General Motors Technical Center

A manufacturing and single-cell fuel cell performance study of stamped, laser welded, and gas nitrided ferritic stainless steel foils in an advanced automotive bipolar plate assembly design was performed. Two developmental foil compositions were studied: Fee20Cre4V and Fee23Cre4V wt.%. Foils 0.1 mm thick were stamped and then laser welded together to create single bipolar plate assemblies with cooling channels. The plates were then surface treated by pre-oxidation and nitridation in N2e4H2 based gas mixtures using either a conventional furnace or a short-cycle quartz lamp infrared heating system. Single-cell fuel cell testing was performed at 80 C for 500 h at 0.3 A/cm2 using 100% humidification and a 100%/40% humidification cycle that stresses the membrane and enhances release of the fluoride ion and promotes a more corrosive environment for the bipolar plates. Periodic high frequency resistance potential-current scans during the 500 h fuel cell test and posttest analysis of the membrane indicated no resistance increase of the plates and only trace levels of metal ion contamination.

• Research Organization: Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States). Shared Research Equipment Collaborative Research Center
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• DOE Contract Number: DE-AC05-00OR22725
• OSTI ID: 1069314
• Journal Information: International Journal of Hydrogen Energy, Vol. 38, Issue 11; ISSN 0360-3199
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English