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AssigneeGM Global Technology Operations LLC
InventorsDaniel E. Rodak, Yang T. Cheng, Mei Cai, Martin S. Ruthkosky
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A method for embedding a hydrophilic and electrically conductive layer into a flow field plate or bipolar plate for a fuel cell. In one embodiment, the layer is niobium doped titanium oxide in a powder form. The method includes mixing the powder material in a suitable solution, such as a solvent. The solution is deposited on a substrate, such as a stainless steel substrate, by any suitable process, such as brushing. The substrate is then heated so that the solvent evaporates to leave a coating of the powder material. The substrate is then positioned in a die press and is stamped to the shape of the bipolar plate, where the stamping operation embeds the powder material into an outer surface of the bipolar plate.
A method for forming a hydrophilic and electrically conductive layer to a bipolar plate, said method comprising:
A method for embedding a niobium doped titanium oxide powder into a surface of a stainless steel bipolar plate for a fuel cell, said method comprising:
A fuel cell comprising a flow field plate being made of a plate material, said flow field plate including a plurality of reactant gas flow channels responsive to a reactant gas, said flow field plate further including a layer of niobium doped titanium oxide powder embedded into a surface of the plate that makes the plate electrically conductive, hydrophilic and stable in a fuel cell environment.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.