Tungsten Diffusion Modified AISI 304 Stainless Steel for PEMFC Bipolar Plate. Issue 6 (2nd October 2013)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Wang, L. X.; Sun, J. C.; Li, S.; Ji, S. J.; Wen, Z. S.; Jing, B.
• Is Part Of: Fuel cells. Volume 13:Issue 6(2013:Dec.)
• Page Start: 1131
• Page End: 1137
• Publication Date: 2013-10-02
• Subjects: Fuel cells -- Periodicals; 621.312429
• DOI: 10.1002/fuce.201200152
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1615-6846

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main" xml:lang="en"> <title>Abstract</title> <p>Plasma surface diffusion alloying method has been applied to prepare a tungsten diffusion modified layer on the surface of AISI 304 stainless steel (W‐304 SS). A series of material evaluation experiments were performed on the W‐304 SS specimens to determine whether it is suitable to be used as PEMFC bipolar plate. Results show that the tungsten modified layer (about 2.5 μm in thickness) is mainly composed of tungsten elements. Potentiodynamic and potentiostatic as well as electrochemical impedance spectroscopy measurements in simulated PEMFC operating conditions of 2 ppm F^– and 0.05 M H₂SO₄ solution at 70 °C bubbling with either air or pure H₂, suggest that the corrosion resistance and the passivated behavior of the W‐304 SS are improved. Meanwhile, the interfacial contact resistance (ICR) for the as‐received W‐304 SS reduces considerably, which yields better results than those found in untreated specimens.</p> </abstract>