Corrosion resistant coated fuel cell bipolar plate with filled-in fine scale porosities and method of making the same
First Claim
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1. A method of corrosion passivation of a bipolar plate for a fuel cell, the method comprising the steps of:
- providing a metal fuel cell bipolar plate;
providing an electrically conductive corrosion resistant coating over the metal fuel cell bipolar plate, the electrically conductive corrosion resistant coating including a top surface and porosities; and
providing an overcoating over the electrically conductive corrosion resistant coating, the overcoating sealing some or all of the porosities at the top surface of the electrically conductive corrosion resistant coating.
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Abstract
A corrosion resistant coated fuel cell plate and method of making the same are embodied in a metal plate provided with a multilayered conductive coating and then with an overcoating which fills in fine scale porosities in the coating. In one preferred embodiment, the overcoating is amorphous graphite applied through a deposition process. In another preferred embodiment, the overcoating is a thin layer of oxide created by a chemical anodization process.
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Citations
25 Claims
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1. A method of corrosion passivation of a bipolar plate for a fuel cell, the method comprising the steps of:
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providing a metal fuel cell bipolar plate;
providing an electrically conductive corrosion resistant coating over the metal fuel cell bipolar plate, the electrically conductive corrosion resistant coating including a top surface and porosities; and
providing an overcoating over the electrically conductive corrosion resistant coating, the overcoating sealing some or all of the porosities at the top surface of the electrically conductive corrosion resistant coating. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A method of corrosion passivation of a bipolar plate for a fuel cell, the method comprising the steps of:
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providing a metal fuel cell bipolar plate;
providing an electrically conductive corrosion resistant coating over the metal fuel cell bipolar plate, the electrically conductive corrosion resistant coating including a top surface and porosities; and
employing a chemical anodization process to provide an overcoating over the electrically conductive corrosion resistant coating, the overcoating sealing some or all of the porosities at the top surface of the electrically conductive corrosion resistant coating. - View Dependent Claims (21)
after the electrically conductive corrosion resistant coating is applied to the metal fuel cell bipolar plate, dipping the metal fuel cell bipolar plate into an acid bath; and
washing the metal fuel cell bipolar plate with deionized water.
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22. A method of manufacturing a bipolar plate for a fuel cell, the method comprising the steps of:
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providing a metal plate;
providing an electrically conductive corrosion resistant coating over the metal plate, the electrically conductive corrosion resistant coating including a top surface and porosities; and
providing an overcoating sealing some or all of the porosities at the top surface of the electrically conductive corrosion resistant coating, the overcoating being at least partially formed as a structure that is free of grain boundaries.
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23. A method of manufacturing a fuel cell plate, a fuel cell conductor element, or a fuel cell current collector element, the method comprising:
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applying a transition metal sublayer onto a metal structure which comprises aluminum;
applying an electrically conductive corrosion resistant coating over the sublayer, wherein the electrically conductive corrosion resistant coating comprises titanium aluminum nitride and includes a top surface and porosities; and
applying an overcoating onto the electrically conductive corrosion resistant coating, sealing porosities at the top surface of the electrically conductive corrosion resistant coating, wherein the overcoating comprises amorphous graphite. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25)
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Specification