New materials and procedures to protect metallic PEM fuel cell bipolar plates

• Published in: Journal of the Electrochemical Society 2002-07, Vol.149 (7), p.A905-A911
• Main Authors: CUNNINGHAM, N, GUAY, D, DODELET, J. P, MENG, Y, HLIL, A. R, HAY, A. S
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Energy; Energy. Thermal use of fuels; Equipments for energy generation and conversion: thermal, electrical, mechanical energy, etc; Exact sciences and technology; Fuel cells
• ISSN: 0013-4651; 1945-7111
• DOI: 10.1149/1.1482767

High carbon content polymers have been synthesized and pyrolyzed between 600 and 850°C in inert ambient, during various pyrolysis times, to obtain freestanding carbon films with specific resistivities that can be as low as ∼ 0.01 Ω cm. One of these polymers (M2-48), with a low specific resistivity at low pyrolysis temperature and pyrolysis time, can be easily sprayed on stainless steel 316L, a possible material to be used for bipolar plates in polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) fuel cells. The layer of M2-48 on SS316L is used as a first layer of a three-layer coating, which is able, after its pyrolysis at 750°C, to protect the stainless steel against corrosion in fuel cell tests. The second and third layers of the 70-100 μm thick protective coating are made of a commercial graphite spray and a top layer of M2-48, respectively. © 2002 The Electrochemical Society. All rights reserved.