Corrugated Fuel Cell Separator with Patterned Noble Film
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing metal separators for fuel cells fail to maintain a uniform wet environment in the membrane electrode assembly, leading to uneven distribution of reaction product water and increased contact resistance, which affects the fuel cell's performance regardless of its operational state.
Innovation Solution
A corrugated metal separator with a noble metal thin film on convex parts and holes formed in the film, allowing for uniform water retention and overflow management, ensuring equalized wet conditions and reduced contact resistance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If a water-repellent layer is formed in island form on a resin layer to suppress flooding, then flooding is suppressed, but the wet environment of the membrane electrode assembly becomes uneven
Solution Approach 1:
The invention applies different surface properties to different regions of the separator. The water-repellent layer is formed specifically in the groove portions where flooding occurs, while the convex portions maintain hydrophilic properties to ensure uniform water distribution to the membrane electrode assembly. This localized differentiation resolves the contradiction by addressing flooding only where needed without compromising overall wet environment uniformity.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention introduces a resin layer as an intermediary between the metal separator and the water-repellent layer. This resin layer serves as a base that allows selective formation of water-repellent properties in specific areas (grooves) while maintaining hydrophilic properties in other areas (convex portions), thereby mediating between the need for flooding suppression and uniform wet environment maintenance.
2Reliability
If a plating process is conducted to suppress oxidation, then oxidation is suppressed and contact resistance is reduced, but the wet environment uniformity is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of applying a uniform plating layer across the entire separator surface, the invention applies water-repellent treatment locally only to the groove portions. The convex portions that contact the membrane electrode assembly maintain their natural hydrophilic metal surface properties, ensuring uniform water distribution while still providing oxidation suppression where most needed (in the grooves).
Solution Approach 2:
The invention creates a composite surface structure combining metal substrate with selectively applied resin and water-repellent coating. This composite approach allows different regions to have different functional properties: the metal convex portions provide hydrophilicity and contact with the membrane electrode assembly, while the resin-coated groove portions provide oxidation suppression and flooding prevention.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution effectively maintains a uniform wet environment and suppresses contact resistance across various fuel cell operation states, enhancing the fuel cell's performance and efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
a water-repellent treatment with the purpose to suppressing the occurrence of flooding
Implementation Method 2
holes through which the metal separator is exposed are formed in the noble metal thin film
Implementation Method 3
a plating process with the purpose of suppressing oxidation to suppress an increase in the contact resistance with the membrane electrode assembly
Data Source
AI summary
To provide a metal separator for fuel cells that can equalize the wet environment of a membrane electrode assembly and a manufacturing method thereof. A metal separator for fuel cells and a manufacturing method thereof are characterized in that, a first separator (14) made of metal, which is layered in a membrane electrode assembly (12) to which a pair of electrodes is provided on both sides of a solid polymer electrolyte membrane (120), is formed into a corrugated sheet shape having convex parts and concaved parts, a noble metal thin film (147) is formed on a convex part (145) of the first separator (14), and holes (148) through which the first separator (14) is exposed are formed in the noble metal thin film (147).