DEVELOPMENT OF MAGNETRON PROTECTIVE COATINGS OF CHROMIUM NITRIDES AND CARBIDES ON TITANIUM BIPOLAR PLATES OF A FUEL CELL WITH A PROTON-EXCHANGE MEMBRANE

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Abstract

The article presents the results of a study of titanium bipolar plates of fuel cells with a proton-exchange membrane with functional coatings based on chromium nitride, carbide and carbonitride obtained by magnetron sputtering of a chromium target in argon plasma with different nitrogen and propane contents. The microstructure and morphology of pure CrN and CrС films on titanium and composite coatings of chromium carbonitride CrхNyСz were studied. It was shown that protective chromium carbide films obtained by adding propane to argon plasma exhibit increased contact surface resistance at the gas diffusion electrode-bipolar plate interface (CrС: ICR = 119.4 mOhm·cm2). However, for chromium carbonitride coatings this indicator is only 1.9 mOhm·cm2, which is lower than for pure CrС films and significantly lower than for uncoated titanium (Ti: ICR = 38.9 mOhm·cm2). This is an important indicator for using such bipolar plates in fuel cell power plants with high specific characteristics. Corrosion measurements performed using conventional techniques showed that the corrosion current for chromium carbonitride was less than 1 μA/cm2, which is better than uncoated titanium and pure CrN and CrC films.

About the authors

S. I. Nefedkina

MPEI National Research University

Email: nefedkini@mpei.ru
Moscow, Russia

G. V. Kachalina

MPEI National Research University

Email: nefedkini@mpei.ru
Moscow, Russia

V. E. Eletskikh

MPEI National Research University

Email: nefedkini@mpei.ru
Moscow, Russia

O. S. Zilova

MPEI National Research University

Email: nefedkini@mpei.ru
Moscow, Russia

V. A. Kasyanenko

MPEI National Research University

Email: nefedkini@mpei.ru
Moscow, Russia

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