Abstract:
A fuel cell assembly is provided that includes a fluid collection member disposed in a fluid inlet for a reactant, wherein the fluid collection member militates against liquid water on an inner surface of the fluid inlet from being received by a fuel cell of the fuel cell assembly.
Abstract:
A flow field plate for fuel cell applications includes a metal with a graphene-containing layer disposed over at least a portion of the metal plate. The graphene-containing layer includes an activated surface which is hydrophilic. Moreover, the flow field plate is included in a fuel cell with a minimal increase in contact resistance. Methods for forming the flow field plates are also provided.
Abstract:
A flow field plate for fuel cell applications includes a metal with a non-crystalline carbon layer disposed over at least a portion of the metal plate. The non-crystalline carbon layer includes an activated surface which is hydrophilic. Moreover, the flow field plate is included in a fuel cell with a minimal increase in contact resistance. Methods for forming the flow field plates are also provided.
Abstract:
A flow field plate or bipolar plate for a fuel cell that includes a hydrophilic coating formed on flow field channels extending through a tunnel region between a cell active area and the inlet and outlet manifolds. The flow field plates are an assembly of a cathode side unipolar plate and an anode side unipolar plate. The hydrophilic coating is deposited on the unipolar plates prior to the unipolar plates being assembled into the flow field plate so that line of site deposition processes can be used to coat the flow field channels in the tunnel region. The unipolar plates can be any suitable fuel cell unipolar plates, such as stamped unipolar plates or composite unipolar plates.
Abstract:
A flow field plate for a fuel cell that has one or more outer layers that makes the plate more conductive and hydrophilic. In one embodiment, the coating is co-deposited as combination of a conductive material and a metal oxide coating. A suitable conductive material is gold and suitable metal oxides include SiO2, HfO2, ZrO2, Al2O3, SnO2, Ta2O5, Nb2O5, MoO2, IrO2, RuO2 and mixtures thereof. The conductive material and metal oxide can also be deposited as two separate layers, where the metal oxide is the outer layer. According to another embodiment, a metal layer is deposited on the plate with nanopores that provide the hydrophilicity. Also, doping ions can be added to the metal oxide to provide low fluoride solubility of the coating to control the rate that hydrofluoric acid etches away the oxide layer.
Abstract translation:一种用于燃料电池的流场板,其具有使得该板更具导电性和亲水性的一个或多个外层。 在一个实施方案中,涂层作为导电材料和金属氧化物涂层的组合共沉积。 合适的导电材料是金,合适的金属氧化物包括SiO 2,HfO 2,ZrO 2,Al 2 O 3,SnO 2,Ta 2 O 5,Nb 2 O 5,MoO 2,IrO 2,RuO 2及其混合物。 导电材料和金属氧化物也可以沉积成两个分开的层,其中金属氧化物是外层。 根据另一实施例,金属层被沉积在与提供亲水性纳米孔的板。 此外,掺杂的离子可以被加入到所述金属氧化物以提供该涂层的低氟溶解度来控制速率氢氟酸蚀刻掉氧化层。
Abstract:
A fuel cell assembly is provided that includes a fluid collection member disposed in a fluid inlet for a reactant, wherein the fluid collection member militates against liquid water on an inner surface of the fluid inlet from being received by a fuel cell of the fuel cell assembly.
Abstract:
A bipolar plate for a fuel cell is provided that includes a flowfield having an active surface with an inlet region and an outlet region. The active surface of the flowfield is in communication with the inlet region and the outlet region and has at least one flow channel formed therein. The at least one flow channel further has a cross-sectional area at the outlet region that is less than a cross-sectional area at the inlet region. In particular embodiments, the at least one flow channel is bifurcated. A fuel cell stack including a fuel cell and the bipolar plate is also provided.
Abstract:
A fuel cell component having a coating thereon including binary and ternary nitrides and oxynitrides of elements of IVb and Vb groups of the periodic table of elements.
Abstract:
A method of making a fuel cell component using a mask, which is removed after further processing to yield a surface with variable properties.