Abstract
In this work, an electrophoretic deposition technique was used to deposit graphene oxide (GO) on 304 stainless steel. Its corrosion performance was evaluated in a simulated polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell environment. The corrosion current density (icorr) and interfacial contact resistance (ICR) were measured at 8.9 µA/cm2 and 19.3 mΩ cm2, respectively. The icorr of GO coated 304SS is several orders lower than bare SS 304. Similarly, the ICR of GO coated 304SS is nearly half of bare 304SS at a compaction pressure of 150 N/cm2. The potentiodynamic polarization plot indicates the prevalence of multiple corrosion mechanisms. A prolonged corrosion study for 30 days immersed in the simulated PEM cell environment shows the formation of rounded pits that corroborate the activity of pitting corrosion.
Highlights
Bipolar plates (BPPs) are key components in a polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) stack
We study the effectiveness of a carbonbased coating as an anticorrosive layer on stainless steel (304SS) BPPs
The absence of 2D-band in graphene oxide (GO) indicates that all the graphitic layers have been oxidized during the conversion of graphite to GO [30]
Summary
Bipolar plates (BPPs) are key components in a polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) stack. Graphite BPPs are expensive because it is difficult to machine flow channels on the surface due to their low flexural strength [1]. To prevent damage during machining, thicker plates are used, adding to the material cost and machining expense. Metallic BPPs can potentially replace graphite BPPs, and towards that, US-DOE has specified the weight, cost, flexural strength, and corrosion resistance of the replacement material [2]. The cost of the BPP, including material and manufacturing, should be less than $3/kW, weight < 0.4 kg/kW, corrosion current density < 1 μA/cm in the cathodic environment, and interfacial contact resistance (ICR) < 20 mΩ c m2 as per the US-DOE 2020 targets. It is necessary to develop cost-effective yet corrosion-resistant materials for making the next-generation BPPs
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