Ex-situ evaluation of {PTFE} coated metals in a proton exchange membrane fuel cell environment

By Baroutaji, A.; Carton, J. G.; Oladoye, A. M.; Stokes, J.; Twomey, B.; Olabi, A. G.
Published in Surface and Coatings Technology NULL 2016

Abstract

Abstract Metallic-based bipolar plates exhibit several advantages over graphite-based plates, including higher strength, lower manufacturing cost and better electrical conductivity. However, poor corrosion resistance and high interfacial contact resistance (ICR) are major challenges for metallic bipolar plates used in proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cells. Corrosion of metallic parts in {PEM} fuel cells not only increases the interfacial contact resistance but it can also decrease the proton conductivity of the Membrane Electrode Assembly (MEA), due to catalyst poisoning phenomena caused by corrosive products. In this paper, a composite coating of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) was deposited on stainless steel alloys (SS304, SS316L) and Titanium (G-T2) via a CoBlast

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