Modifying a Stainless Steel for PEMFC Bipolar Plates via Electrochemical Nitridation

H. Wang; J. A. Turner

doi:10.1002/fuce.201300068

Modifying a Stainless Steel for PEMFC Bipolar Plates via Electrochemical Nitridation

H. Wang, J. A. Turner

Chemistry and Nanoscience

National Renewable Energy Laboratory

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

13 Scopus Citations

Abstract

AISI446 stainless steel was electrochemically nitrided at room temperature. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis indicated that the nitrided steel was covered with surface ammonia and a layer of nitrides (mainly of mixed chromium nitrides). The nitride layer for 4 h nitrided steel at -0.9 V was about 2.5 nm thick. Dominating oxides appear on the steel's surface, so nitrogen incorporated oxides is a suitable term to describe the nitrided surface. The nitrided surface showed very low interfacial contact resistance (ICR) and excellent corrosion resistance in simulated polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) environments. The excellent stability of the nitride steel was confirmed by XPS depth profiling before and after testing in the PEMFC environments. Electrochemical nitridation provides an economic way for modifying the steel's surface to approach the U.S. Department of Energy 2015 goal for bipolar plates.

Original language	American English
Pages (from-to)	917-921
Number of pages	5
Journal	Fuel Cells
Volume	13
Issue number	5
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1002/fuce.201300068 https://doi.org/10.1002/fuce.201300068
State	Published - 2013

NREL Publication Number

NREL/JA-5900-56628

Keywords

Bipolar Plate
Nitridation
PEMFC
Stainless Steel
Surface Modification
XPS

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title = "Modifying a Stainless Steel for PEMFC Bipolar Plates via Electrochemical Nitridation",

abstract = "AISI446 stainless steel was electrochemically nitrided at room temperature. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis indicated that the nitrided steel was covered with surface ammonia and a layer of nitrides (mainly of mixed chromium nitrides). The nitride layer for 4 h nitrided steel at -0.9 V was about 2.5 nm thick. Dominating oxides appear on the steel's surface, so nitrogen incorporated oxides is a suitable term to describe the nitrided surface. The nitrided surface showed very low interfacial contact resistance (ICR) and excellent corrosion resistance in simulated polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) environments. The excellent stability of the nitride steel was confirmed by XPS depth profiling before and after testing in the PEMFC environments. Electrochemical nitridation provides an economic way for modifying the steel's surface to approach the U.S. Department of Energy 2015 goal for bipolar plates.",

keywords = "Bipolar Plate, Nitridation, PEMFC, Stainless Steel, Surface Modification, XPS",

author = "H. Wang and Turner, {J. A.}",

year = "2013",

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volume = "13",

pages = "917--921",

journal = "Fuel Cells",

issn = "1615-6846",

publisher = "John Wiley and Sons Ltd",

number = "5",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Modifying a Stainless Steel for PEMFC Bipolar Plates via Electrochemical Nitridation

AU - Wang, H.

AU - Turner, J. A.

PY - 2013

Y1 - 2013

N2 - AISI446 stainless steel was electrochemically nitrided at room temperature. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis indicated that the nitrided steel was covered with surface ammonia and a layer of nitrides (mainly of mixed chromium nitrides). The nitride layer for 4 h nitrided steel at -0.9 V was about 2.5 nm thick. Dominating oxides appear on the steel's surface, so nitrogen incorporated oxides is a suitable term to describe the nitrided surface. The nitrided surface showed very low interfacial contact resistance (ICR) and excellent corrosion resistance in simulated polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) environments. The excellent stability of the nitride steel was confirmed by XPS depth profiling before and after testing in the PEMFC environments. Electrochemical nitridation provides an economic way for modifying the steel's surface to approach the U.S. Department of Energy 2015 goal for bipolar plates.

AB - AISI446 stainless steel was electrochemically nitrided at room temperature. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis indicated that the nitrided steel was covered with surface ammonia and a layer of nitrides (mainly of mixed chromium nitrides). The nitride layer for 4 h nitrided steel at -0.9 V was about 2.5 nm thick. Dominating oxides appear on the steel's surface, so nitrogen incorporated oxides is a suitable term to describe the nitrided surface. The nitrided surface showed very low interfacial contact resistance (ICR) and excellent corrosion resistance in simulated polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) environments. The excellent stability of the nitride steel was confirmed by XPS depth profiling before and after testing in the PEMFC environments. Electrochemical nitridation provides an economic way for modifying the steel's surface to approach the U.S. Department of Energy 2015 goal for bipolar plates.

KW - Bipolar Plate

KW - Nitridation

KW - PEMFC

KW - Stainless Steel

KW - Surface Modification

KW - XPS

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U2 - 10.1002/fuce.201300068

DO - 10.1002/fuce.201300068

M3 - Article

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SN - 1615-6846

VL - 13

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JO - Fuel Cells

JF - Fuel Cells

IS - 5

ER -

Modifying a Stainless Steel for PEMFC Bipolar Plates via Electrochemical Nitridation

Abstract

NREL Publication Number

Keywords

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