Substrate stainless steel sheet for fuel cell separators and production method therefor

A production method for a substrate stainless steel sheet for fuel cell separators, comprising:

• preparing a stainless steel sheet as a material;
• and
• subjecting the stainless steel sheet to heat treatment of holding in an atmosphere containing 1 vol. % or more oxygen and in a temperature range of 350° C. or more to 500° C. or less for 1 second or more and 120 seconds or less to thereby set [chemical form other than metal (Cr+Fe)]/[metal chemical form (Cr+Fe)] at 12.0 or more and 200 or less, [chemical form other than metal (Cr+Fe)]/[metal chemical form (Cr+Fe)] being a ratio of a total of Cr and Fe existing in chemical form other than metal to a total of Cr and Fe existing in metal chemical form at a stainless steel sheet surface,
• wherein [metal chemical form (Cr+Fe)] is a total atomic concentration of Cr and Fe existing in metal chemical form and [chemical form other than metal (Cr+Fe)] is a total atomic concentration of Cr and Fe existing in chemical form other than metal, which are measured by analyzing the stainless steel sheet surface after heat treatment by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and
• wherein the substrate stainless steel sheet is in a state before a conductive coating is formed on its surface.