Corrosion behavior of CrN, Cr2N and π phase surfaces on nitrided Ni-50Cr for proton exchange membrane fuel cell bipolar plates

I. E. Paulauskas; M. P. Brady; H. M. Meyer; R. A. Buchanan; L. R. Walker

doi:10.1016/j.corsci.2005.10.019

Corrosion behavior of CrN, Cr₂N and π phase surfaces on nitrided Ni-50Cr for proton exchange membrane fuel cell bipolar plates

I. E. Paulauskas, M. P. Brady, H. M. Meyer, R. A. Buchanan, L. R. Walker

Surface Chemistry & Catalysis Group

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

102 Scopus citations

Abstract

The relationships between nitridation, microstructure and corrosion were studied for a thermally nitrided model Ni-50Cr (wt.%) alloy to gain insight into the protection of metallic bipolar plates in proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs). Surface layers containing CrN, Cr₂N or ternary Cr-Ni-N π phase nitride were formed, dependent on the nitridation conditions. Studies in aerated pH 3 sulfuric acid at 80 °C indicated that the best corrosion resistance was exhibited by CrN + Cr₂N surface layers, which were more corrosion resistant than Ni-50Cr metal, Cr metal, and nitrided Cr. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analyses indicated oxygen enrichment of the polarized surfaces in the form of Cr-oxide and Cr-oxynitride species. Such oxygen enrichment does not appear to result in detrimental increases in interfacial contact resistance/electrical properties of the surface.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	3157-3171
Number of pages	15
Journal	Corrosion Science
Volume	48
Issue number	10
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.corsci.2005.10.019
State	Published - Oct 2006

Funding

The authors thank E.A. Kenik, P.F. Tortorelli, D.F. Wilson, B. Yang, for helpful comments in reviewing this manuscript. Funding from the United States Department of Energy (US DOE) Hydrogen, Fuel Cells, and Infrastructure program is gratefully acknowledged. Oak Ridge National Laboratory is managed by UT-Battelle, LLC for the US DOE under contract DE-AC05-00OR22725.

Keywords

Acid corrosion
Metal coatings
Oxidation
Polarization
Selective oxidation

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Access to Document

10.1016/j.corsci.2005.10.019

Cite this

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title = "Corrosion behavior of CrN, Cr2N and π phase surfaces on nitrided Ni-50Cr for proton exchange membrane fuel cell bipolar plates",

abstract = "The relationships between nitridation, microstructure and corrosion were studied for a thermally nitrided model Ni-50Cr (wt.%) alloy to gain insight into the protection of metallic bipolar plates in proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs). Surface layers containing CrN, Cr2N or ternary Cr-Ni-N π phase nitride were formed, dependent on the nitridation conditions. Studies in aerated pH 3 sulfuric acid at 80 °C indicated that the best corrosion resistance was exhibited by CrN + Cr2N surface layers, which were more corrosion resistant than Ni-50Cr metal, Cr metal, and nitrided Cr. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analyses indicated oxygen enrichment of the polarized surfaces in the form of Cr-oxide and Cr-oxynitride species. Such oxygen enrichment does not appear to result in detrimental increases in interfacial contact resistance/electrical properties of the surface.",

keywords = "Acid corrosion, Metal coatings, Oxidation, Polarization, Selective oxidation",

author = "Paulauskas, {I. E.} and Brady, {M. P.} and Meyer, {H. M.} and Buchanan, {R. A.} and Walker, {L. R.}",

year = "2006",

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volume = "48",

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T1 - Corrosion behavior of CrN, Cr2N and π phase surfaces on nitrided Ni-50Cr for proton exchange membrane fuel cell bipolar plates

AU - Paulauskas, I. E.

AU - Brady, M. P.

AU - Meyer, H. M.

AU - Buchanan, R. A.

AU - Walker, L. R.

PY - 2006/10

Y1 - 2006/10

N2 - The relationships between nitridation, microstructure and corrosion were studied for a thermally nitrided model Ni-50Cr (wt.%) alloy to gain insight into the protection of metallic bipolar plates in proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs). Surface layers containing CrN, Cr2N or ternary Cr-Ni-N π phase nitride were formed, dependent on the nitridation conditions. Studies in aerated pH 3 sulfuric acid at 80 °C indicated that the best corrosion resistance was exhibited by CrN + Cr2N surface layers, which were more corrosion resistant than Ni-50Cr metal, Cr metal, and nitrided Cr. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analyses indicated oxygen enrichment of the polarized surfaces in the form of Cr-oxide and Cr-oxynitride species. Such oxygen enrichment does not appear to result in detrimental increases in interfacial contact resistance/electrical properties of the surface.

AB - The relationships between nitridation, microstructure and corrosion were studied for a thermally nitrided model Ni-50Cr (wt.%) alloy to gain insight into the protection of metallic bipolar plates in proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs). Surface layers containing CrN, Cr2N or ternary Cr-Ni-N π phase nitride were formed, dependent on the nitridation conditions. Studies in aerated pH 3 sulfuric acid at 80 °C indicated that the best corrosion resistance was exhibited by CrN + Cr2N surface layers, which were more corrosion resistant than Ni-50Cr metal, Cr metal, and nitrided Cr. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analyses indicated oxygen enrichment of the polarized surfaces in the form of Cr-oxide and Cr-oxynitride species. Such oxygen enrichment does not appear to result in detrimental increases in interfacial contact resistance/electrical properties of the surface.

KW - Acid corrosion

KW - Metal coatings

KW - Oxidation

KW - Polarization

KW - Selective oxidation

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DO - 10.1016/j.corsci.2005.10.019

M3 - Article

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JF - Corrosion Science

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