Method to enhance the durability of conductive carbon coating of pem fuel cell bipolar plates

2 The fuel cell component of claim 1 wherein the nanotubes of titania are 20 to 100 nm in diameter and 50 to 500 nm in length.

6 The fuel cell component of claim 1 wherein the nanotubes of titania and Nafion ionomer are interdispersed, the nanotubes comprising from about 20 to about 70% Nafion nanotubes.

8 The fuel cell component of claim 7 wherein the substrate is an ion conducting polymeric layer.

A fuel cell component comprising:

• a substrate;
• and
• a carbon-containing layer disposed over the substrate, the carbon-containing layer being doped with a metal selected from the group consisting of platinum, iridium, ruthenium, gold, palladium, and combinations thereof, the carbon containing layer having a ratio of sp2 to sp3 hybridized carbon from about 0.8 to about 4.

A catalyst layer for a fuel cell, the catalyst layer comprising:

• a carbon-containing composition doped with a metal selected from the group consisting of platinum, iridium, ruthenium, gold, palladium, and combinations thereof, and
• an ionomeric composition.

A flow field plate for fuel cell applications comprising:

• a metal plate having a first surface and a second surface, the first surface defining a plurality of channels for directing flow of a first gaseous composition;
• and
• a carbon-containing layer disposed over at least a portion of the metal plate, the carbon-containing layer doped with a metal selected from the group consisting of platinum, iridium, ruthenium, gold, palladium, and combinations thereof, the carbon containing layer having a ratio of sp2 to sp3 hybridized carbon from about 0.8 to about 4.