Patent · US Active

Coated steel bipolar plates

US7771858B2 · kind B2 · utility

1Cited by
4References
15Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJul 12, 2005
Grant dateAug 10, 2010
Priority date
Expiry dateJul 30, 2028

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY02T90/40
  • WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, an electrochemical conversion assembly comprises a plurality of electrochemical conversion cells and a plurality of electrically conductive bipolar plates. The electrochemical conversion cells are configured to communicate with first and second reactant supplies. Adjacent ones of the electrochemical conversion cells are separated by respective ones of the plurality of bipolar plates. The bipolar plates comprise an alloy comprising Fe and Cr. Respective surface portions of the bipolar plates are provided with electrically conductive, corrosion resistant layers that are placed in contact with portions of the electrochemical conversion cells. The corrosion resistant electrically conductive layers may comprise graphitic layers characterized predominantly by sp2 hybridized carbon-carbon bonding, molybdenum doped indium oxide layers, an electrically conductive Cr+N layer, or an electrically conductive MoSi2 layer.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.