Abstract: A fuel cell includes a plurality of unit cells disposed in a stack. Each unit cell includes a membrane electrode assembly (MEA) having an anode and a cathode and a bipolar plate having a cathode side defining a recessed pocket in fluid communication with an air port, an anode side, and coolant channels between the cathode and anode sides. The bipolar plate is disposed against the MEA such that the cathode is disposed over the pocket. A flow guide is disposed in the pocket with a front side facing the MEA and a back side facing a bottom of the pocket. The flow guide has a plurality of embossments.

Abstract: A bipolar plate for a fuel cell includes an anode plate and a cathode plate. The anode plate has hydrogen flow channels on a first side of the anode plate and coolant channels on a second side of the anode plate. The cathode plate has a first side disposed against the second side of the anode plate to cover the coolant channels and has a second side defining a recessed pocket configured to receive a stream of air. A flow guide is disposed in the pocket such that an inlet manifold is formed along a first edge of the flow guide and an outlet manifold is formed along a second edge of the flow guide. The flow guide defines channels extending from the inlet manifold to the outlet manifold. A plurality of openings is defined by through the flow guide.

Abstract: A bipolar plate for a fuel cell includes an anode plate and a cathode plate. The anode plate has hydrogen flow channels on a first side of the anode plate and coolant channels on a second side of the anode plate. The cathode plate has a first side disposed against the second side of the anode plate to cover the coolant channels and has a second side defining a recessed pocket configured to receive a stream of air. A flow guide is disposed in the pocket such that an inlet manifold is formed along a first edge of the flow guide and an outlet manifold is formed along a second edge of the flow guide. The flow guide defines channels extending from the inlet manifold to the outlet manifold. A plurality of openings is defined by through the flow guide.

Abstract: A fuel cell oxidation reduction reaction catalyst comprising a carbon substrate, an amorphous metal oxide intermediate layer on the substrate, and an intertwined matrix of platinum and elemental niobium arranged to form a surface metal layer covering the intermediate layer such that upon oxidation, the niobium binds with oxygen resulting in strengthened bonds between the platinum and the intermediate layer.

Abstract: A fuel cell system includes a plurality of fuel cells. Each of the fuel cells may include a current bypass device that is configured to flow a current responsive to an anode potential exceeding a cathode potential to prevent carbon corrosion within the fuel cell.

Abstract: A fuel cell oxidation reduction reaction catalyst includes a carbon powder substrate, an amorphous conductive metal oxide intermediate layer on the substrate, and a plurality of chained electrocatalyst particle strands bound to the layer to form an interconnected network film thereon having a thickness of up to 10 atom monolayers.

Abstract: An electrode for a fuel cell includes a catalyst layer adjacent to a gas diffusion layer and a proton exchange membrane, and ionomer-free active metal-loaded carbon nanostructures and active metal-free ionomer-coated carbon nanostructures arranged to define pores therebetween to facilitate transport of reactant gases and product water in the fuel cell.

Abstract: A fuel cell system includes a plurality of fuel cells. Each of the fuel cells may include a current bypass device that is configured to flow a current responsive to an anode potential exceeding a cathode potential to prevent carbon corrosion within the fuel cell.

Abstract: The present disclosure includes fuel cell bipolar plates and methods of forming a radical scavenging coating on a bipolar plate. The bipolar plates may include a steel substrate, a middle layer contacting the steel substrate and including a bulk material and a radical scavenging material, and a conductive layer contacting the middle layer. The radical scavenging material may include cerium, such as metallic cerium or a cerium oxide. The conductive layer may include a conductive carbon, such as a diamond-like carbon or coating (DLC). The radical scavenging material may comprise 0.1 wt % to 30 wt % of the middle layer. The middle layer may be deposited using PVD, and the radical scavenging material may be doped into the middle layer, for example, by co-sputtering it with the bulk material of the middle layer.

Abstract: The present disclosure includes a fuel cell bipolar plate including a coating and methods for forming the coating. The bipolar plate may include a steel substrate and a coating contacting the steel substrate. The coating may include a plurality of alternating oxide-forming layers and elution resistant layers. The oxide-forming layers may include pure titanium, doped titanium, or a titanium alloy (e.g. doped/alloyed with niobium, zirconium, vanadium, silver, tantalum, yttrium, scandium, or nitrogen) and the elution resistant layers may include a noble metal or tantalum (e.g., gold, iridium, ruthenium, or tantalum). There may be 2-20 layers each of the oxide-forming layers and the elution resistant layers. The coating may prevent elution of iron ions from the steel substrate, for example, by forming oxide plugs in defects or pinholes in the oxide forming and/or elution resistant layers. The coating may also reduce the total usage of precious metals, such as gold.

Abstract: An electrode for a fuel cell includes a catalyst layer adjacent to a gas diffusion layer and a proton exchange membrane, and ionomer-free active metal-loaded carbon nanostructures and active metal-free ionomer-coated carbon nanostructures arranged to define pores therebetween to facilitate transport of reactant gases and product water in the fuel cell.

Abstract: A fuel cell oxidation reduction reaction catalyst comprising a carbon substrate, an amorphous metal oxide intermediate layer on the substrate, and an intertwined matrix of platinum and elemental niobium arranged to form a surface metal layer covering the intermediate layer such that upon oxidation, the niobium binds with oxygen resulting in strengthened bonds between the platinum and the intermediate layer.

Abstract: A fuel cell oxidation reduction reaction catalyst includes a carbon powder substrate, an amorphous conductive metal oxide intermediate layer on the substrate, and a plurality of chained electrocatalyst particle strands bound to the layer to form an interconnected network film thereon having a thickness of up to 10 atom monolayers.

Abstract: A fuel cell electrode includes a carbon nanofiber substrate and a continuous film of up to 100 atom-thick monolayers forming a network of interconnected electrocatalyst nanoparticles deposited on the carbon nanofiber substrate such that at least some of the nanoparticles are directly adhered to uppermost nanofibers of the substrate to form a layer resistant to electrocatalyst depletion.

Abstract: Methods of forming a high surface area compacted MOF powder are disclosed, as well as MOF pellets formed thereby. The method may include synthesizing a metal organic framework (MOF) powder using a first solvent, exchanging the first solvent with a second solvent such that pores of the MOF powder are at least 10% filled with the second solvent, compacting the MOF powder having pores at least 10% filled with the second solvent into a pellet, and desolvating the compacted pellet to remove the second solvent. The pellet may maintain a specific surface area after compacting that is at least 80% its initial specific surface area. Compacting the MOF powder with a solvent at least partially filling its pores may prevent or reduce crushing of the MOF pore structure and maintain surface area, for example, for hydrogen or natural gas storage.

Abstract: An oxygen reduction reaction catalyst (ORR) and a method for making the catalyst are provided. The method may include depositing (e.g., by PVD) conductive catalyst material onto a non-conductive substrate, such as particles or powder, to form an intermediate ORR catalyst. The intermediate ORR catalyst may then be heat treated and another deposition process may be performed to form a thin, electrically interconnected catalyst network layer overlying the non-conductive substrate. The catalyst material may include, for example, platinum, gold, or other platinum group or noble metals, or alloys thereof. The non-conductive substrate may be a ceramic, for example, yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ).

Abstract: Techniques are described for generating earth sub-surface thermal characteristics over an area include collecting real-time weather data and earth data for a plurality of locations associated with an underground electrical cable and calculating earth thermal properties at the plurality of locations based on the real-time weather data and the measured earth data by an iterative process. The calculated earth thermal properties at two or more of the plurality of locations are interpolated to determine interpolated earth thermal properties at another location associated with the underground electrical cable and a wide-area thermal property map created from at least some of the calculated earth thermal properties and the interpolated earth thermal properties.

Abstract: In at least one embodiment, an oxygen reduction reaction catalyst (ORR) and a method for making the catalyst are provided. The method may include depositing a metal oxide on a graphitized carbon or graphene substrate. A platinum catalyst may then be deposited over the metal oxide to provide an ORR catalyst for use in, for example, a PEMFC. The metal oxide may be niobium oxide and may have an amorphous structure. The platinum catalyst may form a thin, electrically interconnected network structure overlaying the metal oxide. The ORR catalyst may be prepared by alternating the deposition of the metal oxide and the platinum catalyst, for example, using physical vapor deposition. The ORR catalyst may have a specific activity of at least 1,000 ?A/cm2 Pt and may approach or achieve bulk Pt activity.

Abstract: The present disclosure includes fuel cell bipolar plates and methods of forming a radical scavenging coating on a bipolar plate. The bipolar plates may include a steel substrate, a middle layer contacting the steel substrate and including a bulk material and a radical scavenging material, and a conductive layer contacting the middle layer. The radical scavenging material may include cerium, such as metallic cerium or a cerium oxide. The conductive layer may include a conductive carbon, such as a diamond-like carbon or coating (DLC). The radical scavenging material may comprise 0.1 wt % to 30 wt % of the middle layer. The middle layer may be deposited using PVD, and the radical scavenging material may be doped into the middle layer, for example, by co-sputtering it with the bulk material of the middle layer.

Abstract: The present disclosure includes a fuel cell bipolar plate including a coating and methods for forming the coating. The bipolar plate may include a steel substrate and a coating contacting the steel substrate. The coating may include a plurality of alternating oxide-forming layers and elution resistant layers. The oxide-forming layers may include pure titanium, doped titanium, or a titanium alloy (e.g. doped/alloyed with niobium, zirconium, vanadium, silver, tantalum, yttrium, scandium, or nitrogen) and the elution resistant layers may include a noble metal or tantalum (e.g., gold, iridium, ruthenium, or tantalum). There may be 2-20 layers each of the oxide-forming layers and the elution resistant layers. The coating may prevent elution of iron ions from the steel substrate, for example, by forming oxide plugs in defects or pinholes in the oxide forming and/or elution resistant layers. The coating may also reduce the total usage of precious metals, such as gold.