Abstract
A chromium nitride (CrN, Cr2N)/chromium (Cr)/indium-tin-oxide (ITO) system and a gold (Au)/titanium (Ti) system were separately deposited using a sputtering method and an E-beam method, respectively, onto stainless steel 316 and 304 plates. The XRD patterns of the deposited stainless steel plates showed the crystalline phase of typical indium-tin oxide and of metallic phases, such as chromium, gold, and the metal substrate, as well as those of external chromium nitride films. The nitride films were composed of two metal nitride phases that consisted of CrN and Cr2N compounds. The surface morphologies of the modified stainless steel bipolar plates were observed using atomic force microscopy and FE-SEM. The chromium nitride (CrN, Cr2N)/chromium (Cr)/indium-tin-oxide (ITO) multilayer that was formed on the stainless steel plates had a surface microstructural morphology that consisted of fine columnar grains 10 nm in diameter and 60 nm in length. The external gold films that were formed on the stainless steel plates had a grain microstructure approximately 100 nm in diameter. The grain size of the external surface of the stainless steel plates with the gold (Au)/titanium (Ti) system increased with increasing gold film thickness. The electrical resistances and water contact angles of the stainless steel bipolar plates that were covered with the multilayer films were examined as a function of the thickness of the ITO film or of the external gold film. In the corrosion test, ICP-MS results indicated that the gold (Au)/titanium (Ti) films showed relatively excellent chemical stability after exposure to H2SO4 solution with pH 3 at 80 °C.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
