Evaluation of nitrided titanium separator plates for proton exchange membrane electrolyzer cells

Todd J. Toops; Michael P. Brady; Feng Yuan Zhang; Harry M. Meyer; Katherine Ayers; Andrew Roemer; Luke Dalton

doi:10.1016/j.jpowsour.2014.09.016

Evaluation of nitrided titanium separator plates for proton exchange membrane electrolyzer cells

Todd J. Toops, Michael P. Brady, Feng Yuan Zhang, Harry M. Meyer, Katherine Ayers, Andrew Roemer, Luke Dalton

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

61 Scopus citations

Abstract

Proton exchanges membrane (PEM) regenerative fuel cell electrolysis of water is of great recent interest as a hydrogen generation technology. Anode side titanium current collectors and separator plates used in these applications typically employ coatings of platinum group metals to achieve durability and performance requirements in the high voltage, oxidizing environment. The present work assessed the potential for lower cost surface modified titanium by both thermal (gas) nitridation and plasma nitridation approaches. The nitrided Ti was found to result in far less hydrogen uptake in coupon testing than did Pt-plated Ti. Short-term (48 h) single-cell performance at 25 °C was approximately 13% better (lower voltage) at 1.2 A cm^-2 for thermal and plasma nitrided plates vs. untreated Ti. However, at 50 °C and 1.5 A cm^-2, the thermally nitrided plate exhibited only on the order of 3% better behavior (lower voltage) compared to the untreated Ti and plasma nitrided Ti. Durability testing for 500 h resulted in only a minor degradation in cell performance, on the order of 1-2% voltage increase, with the best behavior exhibited by the thermally nitrided Ti plate. Despite their relatively stable cell performance, extensive local oxidation of the thermally nitrided and plasma nitrided flow field regions was observed.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	954-960
Number of pages	7
Journal	Journal of Power Sources
Volume	272
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpowsour.2014.09.016
State	Published - Dec 25 2014

Funding

This manuscript has been authored by UT-Battelle, LLC, under Contract No. DE-AC05-00OR22725 with the U.S. Department of Energy. The United States Government retains and the publisher, by accepting the article for publication, acknowledges that the United States Government retains a non-exclusive, paid-up, irrevocable, worldwide license to publish or reproduce the published form of this manuscript, or allow others to do so, for United States Government purposes. The views expressed are those of the author and do not reflect the official policy or position of the Department of Defense or the U.S. Government. Funding from the U.S. Department of Energy Fuel Cell Technologies Office is gratefully acknowledged, Grant # DE-EE0000276 . The authors also wish to acknowledge David Cullen for helpful comments on this manuscript that has been authored by UT-Battelle, LLC, under Contract No. DE-AC05-00OR22725 with the U.S. Department of Energy .

Funders	Funder number
U.S. Department of Energy Fuel Cell Technologies Office	DE-AC05-00OR22725, DE-EE0000276
U.S. Department of Energy

Keywords

Current collector
Electrolysis
Hydrogen
Nitrided titanium
Regenerative fuel cell
Separator

UN SDGs

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

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10.1016/j.jpowsour.2014.09.016

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title = "Evaluation of nitrided titanium separator plates for proton exchange membrane electrolyzer cells",

abstract = "Proton exchanges membrane (PEM) regenerative fuel cell electrolysis of water is of great recent interest as a hydrogen generation technology. Anode side titanium current collectors and separator plates used in these applications typically employ coatings of platinum group metals to achieve durability and performance requirements in the high voltage, oxidizing environment. The present work assessed the potential for lower cost surface modified titanium by both thermal (gas) nitridation and plasma nitridation approaches. The nitrided Ti was found to result in far less hydrogen uptake in coupon testing than did Pt-plated Ti. Short-term (48 h) single-cell performance at 25 °C was approximately 13% better (lower voltage) at 1.2 A cm-2 for thermal and plasma nitrided plates vs. untreated Ti. However, at 50 °C and 1.5 A cm-2, the thermally nitrided plate exhibited only on the order of 3% better behavior (lower voltage) compared to the untreated Ti and plasma nitrided Ti. Durability testing for 500 h resulted in only a minor degradation in cell performance, on the order of 1-2% voltage increase, with the best behavior exhibited by the thermally nitrided Ti plate. Despite their relatively stable cell performance, extensive local oxidation of the thermally nitrided and plasma nitrided flow field regions was observed.",

keywords = "Current collector, Electrolysis, Hydrogen, Nitrided titanium, Regenerative fuel cell, Separator",

author = "Toops, {Todd J.} and Brady, {Michael P.} and Zhang, {Feng Yuan} and Meyer, {Harry M.} and Katherine Ayers and Andrew Roemer and Luke Dalton",

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AU - Toops, Todd J.

AU - Brady, Michael P.

AU - Zhang, Feng Yuan

AU - Meyer, Harry M.

AU - Ayers, Katherine

AU - Roemer, Andrew

AU - Dalton, Luke

PY - 2014/12/25

Y1 - 2014/12/25

N2 - Proton exchanges membrane (PEM) regenerative fuel cell electrolysis of water is of great recent interest as a hydrogen generation technology. Anode side titanium current collectors and separator plates used in these applications typically employ coatings of platinum group metals to achieve durability and performance requirements in the high voltage, oxidizing environment. The present work assessed the potential for lower cost surface modified titanium by both thermal (gas) nitridation and plasma nitridation approaches. The nitrided Ti was found to result in far less hydrogen uptake in coupon testing than did Pt-plated Ti. Short-term (48 h) single-cell performance at 25 °C was approximately 13% better (lower voltage) at 1.2 A cm-2 for thermal and plasma nitrided plates vs. untreated Ti. However, at 50 °C and 1.5 A cm-2, the thermally nitrided plate exhibited only on the order of 3% better behavior (lower voltage) compared to the untreated Ti and plasma nitrided Ti. Durability testing for 500 h resulted in only a minor degradation in cell performance, on the order of 1-2% voltage increase, with the best behavior exhibited by the thermally nitrided Ti plate. Despite their relatively stable cell performance, extensive local oxidation of the thermally nitrided and plasma nitrided flow field regions was observed.

AB - Proton exchanges membrane (PEM) regenerative fuel cell electrolysis of water is of great recent interest as a hydrogen generation technology. Anode side titanium current collectors and separator plates used in these applications typically employ coatings of platinum group metals to achieve durability and performance requirements in the high voltage, oxidizing environment. The present work assessed the potential for lower cost surface modified titanium by both thermal (gas) nitridation and plasma nitridation approaches. The nitrided Ti was found to result in far less hydrogen uptake in coupon testing than did Pt-plated Ti. Short-term (48 h) single-cell performance at 25 °C was approximately 13% better (lower voltage) at 1.2 A cm-2 for thermal and plasma nitrided plates vs. untreated Ti. However, at 50 °C and 1.5 A cm-2, the thermally nitrided plate exhibited only on the order of 3% better behavior (lower voltage) compared to the untreated Ti and plasma nitrided Ti. Durability testing for 500 h resulted in only a minor degradation in cell performance, on the order of 1-2% voltage increase, with the best behavior exhibited by the thermally nitrided Ti plate. Despite their relatively stable cell performance, extensive local oxidation of the thermally nitrided and plasma nitrided flow field regions was observed.

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KW - Electrolysis

KW - Hydrogen

KW - Nitrided titanium

KW - Regenerative fuel cell

KW - Separator

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JF - Journal of Power Sources

ER -

Evaluation of nitrided titanium separator plates for proton exchange membrane electrolyzer cells

Abstract

Funding

Keywords

UN SDGs

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