Pre-oxidized and nitrided stainless steel alloy foil for proton exchange membrane fuel cell bipolar plates. Part 2: Single-cell fuel cell evaluation of stamped plates

Todd J. Toops; Michael P. Brady; Peter F. Tortorelli; Josh A. Pihl; Francisco Estevez; Daniel Connors; Fernando Garzon; Tommy Rockward; Don Gervasio; William Mylan; Sree Harsha Kosaraju

doi:10.1016/j.jpowsour.2010.03.056

Pre-oxidized and nitrided stainless steel alloy foil for proton exchange membrane fuel cell bipolar plates. Part 2: Single-cell fuel cell evaluation of stamped plates

Todd J. Toops, Michael P. Brady, Peter F. Tortorelli, Josh A. Pihl, Francisco Estevez, Daniel Connors, Fernando Garzon, Tommy Rockward, Don Gervasio, William Mylan, Sree Harsha Kosaraju

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

21 Scopus citations

Abstract

Thermal (gas) nitridation of stainless steel alloys can yield low interfacial contact resistance (ICR), electrically conductive and corrosion-resistant nitride containing surface layers (Cr₂N, CrN, TiN, V₂N, VN, etc.) of interest for fuel cells, batteries, and sensors. This paper presents results of proton exchange membrane (PEM) single-cell fuel cell studies of stamped and pre-oxidized/nitrided developmental Fe-20Cr-4V weight percent (wt.%) and commercial type 2205 stainless steel alloy foils. The single-cell fuel cell behavior of the stamped and pre-oxidized/nitrided material was compared to as-stamped (no surface treatment) 904L, 2205, and Fe-20Cr-4V stainless steel alloy foils and machined graphite of similar flow field design. The best fuel cell behavior among the alloys was exhibited by the pre-oxidized/nitrided Fe-20Cr-4V, which exhibited ∼5-20% better peak power output than untreated Fe-20Cr-4V, 2205, and 904L metal stampings. Durability was assessed for pre-oxidized/nitrided Fe-20Cr-4V, 904L metal, and graphite plates by 1000+ h of cyclic single-cell fuel cell testing. All three materials showed good durability with no significant degradation in cell power output. Post-test analysis indicated no metal ion contamination of the membrane electrode assemblies (MEAs) occurred with the pre-oxidized and nitrided Fe-20Cr-4V or graphite plates, and only a minor amount of contamination with the 904L plates.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	5619-5627
Number of pages	9
Journal	Journal of Power Sources
Volume	195
Issue number	17
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpowsour.2010.03.056
State	Published - Sep 1 2010

Funding

The authors thank William P. Partridge and Burak Ozpineci for reviewing this manuscript. The authors also thank G.W. Garner for performing the pre-oxidation nitridation exposures, and J.M. Rakowski of ATI Allegheny Ludlum for the Fe–20Cr–4V, 2205, and 904L foils. Funding from the U.S. Department of Energy's Hydrogen, Fuel Cells, and Infrastructure Program is gratefully acknowledged. ORNL is managed by UT-Battelle, LLC for the US DOE under contract DE-AC05-00OR22725. Notice: This submission was sponsored by a contractor of the United States Government under contract DE-AC05-00OR22725 with the United States Department of Energy. The United States Government retains, and the publisher, by accepting this submission for publication, acknowledges that the United States Government retains, a nonexclusive, paid-up, irrevocable, worldwide license to publish or reproduce the published form of this submission, or allow others to do so, for United States Government purposes.

Funders	Funder number
U.S. Department of Energy	DE-AC05-00OR22725
Oak Ridge National Laboratory

Keywords

Corrosion resistance
Durability
Metallic bipolar plates
Nitride
Polymer electrolyte/proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cells

UN SDGs

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

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10.1016/j.jpowsour.2010.03.056

Cite this

Toops, T. J., Brady, M. P., Tortorelli, P. F., Pihl, J. A., Estevez, F., Connors, D., Garzon, F., Rockward, T., Gervasio, D., Mylan, W., & Kosaraju, S. H. (2010). Pre-oxidized and nitrided stainless steel alloy foil for proton exchange membrane fuel cell bipolar plates. Part 2: Single-cell fuel cell evaluation of stamped plates. Journal of Power Sources, 195(17), 5619-5627. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpowsour.2010.03.056

@article{c7fd7d135d1d4ae0af5b6f573b2f5e39,

title = "Pre-oxidized and nitrided stainless steel alloy foil for proton exchange membrane fuel cell bipolar plates. Part 2: Single-cell fuel cell evaluation of stamped plates",

abstract = "Thermal (gas) nitridation of stainless steel alloys can yield low interfacial contact resistance (ICR), electrically conductive and corrosion-resistant nitride containing surface layers (Cr2N, CrN, TiN, V2N, VN, etc.) of interest for fuel cells, batteries, and sensors. This paper presents results of proton exchange membrane (PEM) single-cell fuel cell studies of stamped and pre-oxidized/nitrided developmental Fe-20Cr-4V weight percent (wt.%) and commercial type 2205 stainless steel alloy foils. The single-cell fuel cell behavior of the stamped and pre-oxidized/nitrided material was compared to as-stamped (no surface treatment) 904L, 2205, and Fe-20Cr-4V stainless steel alloy foils and machined graphite of similar flow field design. The best fuel cell behavior among the alloys was exhibited by the pre-oxidized/nitrided Fe-20Cr-4V, which exhibited ∼5-20% better peak power output than untreated Fe-20Cr-4V, 2205, and 904L metal stampings. Durability was assessed for pre-oxidized/nitrided Fe-20Cr-4V, 904L metal, and graphite plates by 1000+ h of cyclic single-cell fuel cell testing. All three materials showed good durability with no significant degradation in cell power output. Post-test analysis indicated no metal ion contamination of the membrane electrode assemblies (MEAs) occurred with the pre-oxidized and nitrided Fe-20Cr-4V or graphite plates, and only a minor amount of contamination with the 904L plates.",

keywords = "Corrosion resistance, Durability, Metallic bipolar plates, Nitride, Polymer electrolyte/proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cells",

author = "Toops, {Todd J.} and Brady, {Michael P.} and Tortorelli, {Peter F.} and Pihl, {Josh A.} and Francisco Estevez and Daniel Connors and Fernando Garzon and Tommy Rockward and Don Gervasio and William Mylan and Kosaraju, {Sree Harsha}",

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doi = "10.1016/j.jpowsour.2010.03.056",

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Toops, TJ, Brady, MP, Tortorelli, PF, Pihl, JA, Estevez, F, Connors, D, Garzon, F, Rockward, T, Gervasio, D, Mylan, W & Kosaraju, SH 2010, 'Pre-oxidized and nitrided stainless steel alloy foil for proton exchange membrane fuel cell bipolar plates. Part 2: Single-cell fuel cell evaluation of stamped plates', Journal of Power Sources, vol. 195, no. 17, pp. 5619-5627. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpowsour.2010.03.056

Pre-oxidized and nitrided stainless steel alloy foil for proton exchange membrane fuel cell bipolar plates. Part 2: Single-cell fuel cell evaluation of stamped plates. / Toops, Todd J.; Brady, Michael P.; Tortorelli, Peter F. et al.
In: Journal of Power Sources, Vol. 195, No. 17, 01.09.2010, p. 5619-5627.

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

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T1 - Pre-oxidized and nitrided stainless steel alloy foil for proton exchange membrane fuel cell bipolar plates. Part 2

T2 - Single-cell fuel cell evaluation of stamped plates

AU - Toops, Todd J.

AU - Brady, Michael P.

AU - Tortorelli, Peter F.

AU - Pihl, Josh A.

AU - Estevez, Francisco

AU - Connors, Daniel

AU - Garzon, Fernando

AU - Rockward, Tommy

AU - Gervasio, Don

AU - Mylan, William

AU - Kosaraju, Sree Harsha

PY - 2010/9/1

Y1 - 2010/9/1

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AB - Thermal (gas) nitridation of stainless steel alloys can yield low interfacial contact resistance (ICR), electrically conductive and corrosion-resistant nitride containing surface layers (Cr2N, CrN, TiN, V2N, VN, etc.) of interest for fuel cells, batteries, and sensors. This paper presents results of proton exchange membrane (PEM) single-cell fuel cell studies of stamped and pre-oxidized/nitrided developmental Fe-20Cr-4V weight percent (wt.%) and commercial type 2205 stainless steel alloy foils. The single-cell fuel cell behavior of the stamped and pre-oxidized/nitrided material was compared to as-stamped (no surface treatment) 904L, 2205, and Fe-20Cr-4V stainless steel alloy foils and machined graphite of similar flow field design. The best fuel cell behavior among the alloys was exhibited by the pre-oxidized/nitrided Fe-20Cr-4V, which exhibited ∼5-20% better peak power output than untreated Fe-20Cr-4V, 2205, and 904L metal stampings. Durability was assessed for pre-oxidized/nitrided Fe-20Cr-4V, 904L metal, and graphite plates by 1000+ h of cyclic single-cell fuel cell testing. All three materials showed good durability with no significant degradation in cell power output. Post-test analysis indicated no metal ion contamination of the membrane electrode assemblies (MEAs) occurred with the pre-oxidized and nitrided Fe-20Cr-4V or graphite plates, and only a minor amount of contamination with the 904L plates.

KW - Corrosion resistance

KW - Durability

KW - Metallic bipolar plates

KW - Nitride

KW - Polymer electrolyte/proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cells

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Pre-oxidized and nitrided stainless steel alloy foil for proton exchange membrane fuel cell bipolar plates. Part 2: Single-cell fuel cell evaluation of stamped plates

Abstract

Funding

Keywords

UN SDGs

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