Development of NanoScale Conductive Corrosion Resistant Coatings for Fuel Cells
(Room Room 104-B)
29 Apr 19
3:00 PM
-
3:40 PM
Tracks:
Protective, Tribological and Decorative Coatings
Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) Fuel Cells have long been touted as the compromise free replacement for Internal Combustion Engines for transportation applications. Fuel Cells provide a pathway for zero emission driving, material handling and other commercial applications, with a quick refill and scalable power solution. However, the rate of commercial introduction of fuel cells in these applications has been limited until recently. One of the main reasons for slow adaption of this technology is the high cost of the systems and the bipolar plate is one of the high cost items in the overall system. This presentation will discuss the status of overall fuel cell commercialization and, in particular, focus on the development of the non-precious metal coatings for enabling stainless steel bipolar plates. We will discuss the various methods of coating the fuel cell bipolar plates and compare the performance and stability of these coatings. Further, we will discuss the rate of iron elution from the stainless steel and its dependence on the coating and operating conditions.