# US 2013/0252136 A1 · Fuel cell separator material, fuel cell, and method for manufacturing fuel cell separator material

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- Number: US 2013/0252136 A1
- Document ID: US20130252136A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 13/788,376
- Filed: 2013-03-07
- Published: 2013-09-26
- Earliest claimed: 2012-03-23
- Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Kobe Seiko Sho (Kobe Steel, Ltd.)
- Inventors: Jun SUZUKI; Toshiki Sato
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20130252136A1

## CPC

- H01M 8/0204: Non-porous and characterised by the material
- H01M 8/0206: Metals or alloys
- H01M 8/0213: Gas-impermeable carbon-containing materials
- H01M 8/0228: in the form of layered or coated products
- Y02E 60/50: Fuel cells
- Y02P 70/50: Manufacturing or production processes characterised by the final manufactured product
- H01M: PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY
- Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION
- Y02P: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN THE PRODUCTION OR PROCESSING OF GOODS

## Abstract

It is an object to provide a fuel cell separator material excellent in electroconductivity and corrosion resistance and capable of excellently adhering to a gasket material by stipulating a novel separator material, a fuel cell, and a method for manufacturing the fuel cell separator material. In a fuel cell separator material in which a carbon-based electroconductive layer including graphite is formed on the surface of a substrate formed of pure titanium or a titanium alloy, a coating rate of the carbon-based electroconductive layer is 20-70% when a range of 550×400 μm is observed with 200 times observation magnification using an electron microscope.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A fuel cell separator material wherein a carbon-based electroconductive layer including graphite is formed on the surface of a substrate formed of pure titanium or a titanium alloy, wherein
a coating rate of the carbon-based electroconductive layer is 20-70% when a range of 550×400 μm is observed with 200 times observation magnification using an electron microscope.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The fuel cell separator material according to claim 1, wherein
in an area where the carbon-based electroconductive layer is formed on the surface of the substrate, an intermediate layer including titanium carbide and metallic titanium is formed in an interface between the carbon-based electroconductive layer and the substrate.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The fuel cell separator material according to claim 1 wherein the carbon-based electroconductive layers are formed on both surfaces of the substrate, wherein
when both surfaces of the separator material are embraced by two sheets of carbon paper and are pressed by a condition of 10 kg/cm2 of the contact pressure from outside the carbon paper, contact resistance to the carbon paper is 10 mΩ·cm2 or less.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

A fuel cell comprising the fuel cell separator material according to claim 1 and a gasket material stuck to the separator material.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

A method for manufacturing the fuel cell separator material according to claim 1 comprising:
a carbon-based electroconductive layer forming step of coating slurry obtained by dispersing in which graphite powder, graphite powder and carbon black powder, graphite powder and acetylene black powder, or graphite powder, carbon black powder and acetylene black powder on the surface of the substrate; and
a heat treatment step of heating the substrate at 500-850° C. under non-oxidizing atmosphere after the carbon-based electroconductive layer forming step.