Abstract: An electrically conductive fluid distribution element for a fuel cell which comprises an electrically conductive substrate, a flow field for distributing fluid along a surface of the substrate, and an electrically conductive coating on the surface which comprises a noble metal, desirably Ru, Rh, Pd, Ag, Ir, Pt, Os, and preferably Au.

Abstract: One exemplary embodiment of the invention includes a method including providing a bipolar plate for a fuel cell having a reactant gas flow field defined therein by a plurality of lands and at least one channel, and depositing a low contact resistant material selectively over portions of the lands leaving portions of the lands uncovered by the low contact resistant material.

Abstract: A method for coating a fuel cell component is provided. The method includes the steps of providing a fuel cell component, and forming a coating on a surface of the fuel cell component with a plasma jet. The step of forming the coating may include applying a coating precursor to a surface of the fuel cell component and then reacting the coating precursor with the plasma jet to form the coating. The step of forming the coating may also include growing the coating on the surface of the fuel cell component by delivering the plasma jet containing the coating precursor.

Abstract: Fuel cell bipolar plates are made by depositing a pinhole free corrosion resistant and/or a conductive layer on a metal plate using an atomic layer deposition method. In one embodiment, a conductive layer is deposited on an anodized metal plate using atomic layer deposition method. In another embodiment, at least one corrosion resistant metal oxide layer and at least one conductive layer are deposited on a metal plate individually using atomic layer deposition method. In yet another embodiment, a corrosion resistant and conductive metal oxynitride layer is deposited on a metal plate using an atomic layer deposition method.

Abstract: A metal composite for use in electrochemical devices is disclosed. The metal composite comprises a stainless steel interior component and a deposited nitrided metal exterior layer, wherein the nitrided exterior layer has lower electric contact resistance and greater corrosion resistance than the stainless steel interior component. A bipolar plate made of such metal composite and methods of producing the metal composite and bipolar plate are also disclosed.

Abstract: A method including providing a substrate; treating the substrate to form a passive layer, wherein the passive layer has a thickness of at least 3 nm; and depositing an electrically conductive coating over the substrate, wherein the coating has a thickness of about 0.1 nm to about 50 nm.

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: One embodiment of the invention includes a product including a fuel cell component including a coating thereon, the coating comprising nanoparticles comprising titanium oxide or titanium containing compounds derived therefrom.

Abstract: One embodiment of the invention includes an assembly of metal oxide comprising valve metal oxide nanotubes.

Abstract: A product including a polymer electrolyte membrane, an electrode over the membrane, a gas diffusion media layer over the electrode, and a hydrophilic layer over the gas diffusion media layer.

Abstract: One embodiment of the invention comprises a fuel cell bipolar plate comprising a substrate comprising a first face, a reactant gas flow field defined in the first face, the reactant gas flow field comprising a plurality of lands and channels, and a plurality of microgrooves formed in the first face.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a fuel cell dielectric coolant and evaporative cooling process using same. The coolant comprises an emulsion that defines a polar internal phase and a hydrocarbon external phase. The polar internal phase comprises an azeotropic mixture that includes one or more polar compounds selected from water, alcohol, or combinations thereof. The fuel cell is configured to react fuel with oxygen to generate an electric current and at least one reaction product, and comprises an electrochemical catalytic reaction cell configured to include a fuel flowpath, an oxygen flowpath, and a coolant flowpath fluidly decoupled from the fuel and oxygen flowpaths, and which defines a coolant isolation manifold including the fluid dielectric coolant described above. The method of cooling a fuel cell comprises, inter alia, evaporating the polar internal phase of the fluid dielectric coolant emulsion in the coolant isolation manifold.

Abstract: A bipolar plate for a fuel cell is provided including a plate having an active surface with a plurality of flow channels formed therein. The plurality of flow channels have a hydrophilic coating deposited thereon and define a plurality of lands disposed therebetween. The plurality of lands is substantially free of the hydrophilic coating. Furthermore, a thickness of the hydrophilic coating is substantially constant along a length of the active surface and an edge of the hydrophilic coating adjacent the plurality of lands is substantially continuous. A method for preparing the bipolar plate is also provided.

Abstract: A PEM fuel cell having a current collector comprising a polymer composite and a diffusion media engaging said polymer composite. The polymer composite has a hyperconductive surface layer engaging the diffusion media to reduce the contact resistance therebetween. The hyperconductive surface layer is formed by depositing or smearing an electrically-conductive material on the surface of the polymer composite.

Abstract: A metallic bipolar plate for use in a fuel cell includes a metallic bipolar plate having one or more channels and a contact surface. The contact surface has a surface roughness defined by a plurality of peaks and valleys wherein at least a portion of the valleys are filled with an electrically conductive material. The contact surface is adapted to contact the anode diffusion layer or the cathode diffusion layer such that the contact resistance occurring at this surface is lower than when the electrically conductive material is not present. A fuel cell incorporating the metallic bipolar plate is also provided.

Abstract: A process of one embodiment of the invention includes providing a fuel cell bipolar plate comprising carbon exposed at an outer surface of the bipolar plate and reacting a diazonium salt with the exposed carbon so that a functional group is attached to the exposed carbon to increase the hydrophilicity of the bipolar plate where the functional group is attached.

Abstract: A product including a fuel cell gas diffusion media layer and a plurality of electrically conductive lands secured thereto.

Abstract: A bipolar plate for a fuel cell that includes a hydrophilic layer deposited on the bipolar plate to a suitable thickness to satisfy hydrofluoric acid etching for the desired lifetime of the fuel cell. In one embodiment, the hydrophilic layer is a relatively thick silicon dioxide layer that is deposited on the bipolar plate as a colloidal dispersion of silicon dioxide nano-particles in a solvent. The dispersion is dried so that the solvent evaporates to form a film of the silicon dioxide nano-particles on the bipolar plate. A relatively thin layer, generally a metal oxide, is first deposited on the bipolar plate by a CVD or PVD process so that the thin layer has suitable bonding to the bipolar plate. The thicker hydrophilic layer is then deposited on the thin layer, where the bonds between the thick layer and the thin layer are suitable for the fuel cell environment.

Abstract: A method for recovering ruthenium oxide or gold and titanium or titanium oxide from a bipolar plate at the end of the life of a fuel cell stack so as to use these materials in other fuel cell stacks thereafter. The bipolar plate is immersed in a solution including a suitable acid that dissolves the titanium or titanium oxide. The ruthenium oxide or gold will be released from the plate and will float on the solution from which it can be removed. The solution is then heated to evaporate the acid solution leaving a powder of the titanium oxide. The stainless steel of the bipolar plate is thus cleaned of the titanium or titanium oxide, and can be reused.

Abstract: The present invention provides an electrically conductive element for an electrochemical cell element having enhanced protection for an underlying metal substrate with a surface susceptible to forming metal oxides. One or more regions of the surface are coated with a metal coating overlaid with an adhesion promoting coating comprising a silicon containing material derived from organosilanes. The adhesion promoting coating is overlaid with a conductive, protective polymeric coating. The present invention further provides methods of making such an electrochemical cell element to have improved adhesion of conductive, protective polymer coatings.