Fuel Cell Separator Surface Roughening for Coating Adhesion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Fuel cell separators face issues with corrosion and electrical conductivity due to surface oxides and thermal fatigue, leading to reduced performance and durability, especially under high-voltage and fastening pressure conditions.
Innovation Solution
A manufacturing method that forms fine-sized unevenness on a metal base material's surface through a gas carburizing process, followed by a carbon coating layer, enhancing adhesion and water discharge performance by adjusting the depth and size of the diffusion layer and the coating layer's thickness.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a coating layer is formed on the separator surface to improve corrosion resistance and electrical conductivity, then adhesion between the coating layer and metal base material deteriorates due to thermal fatigue and mismatch of thermal expansion coefficients
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by forming a diffusion layer on the metal base material surface before applying the coating layer. This diffusion layer is created through gas carburizing or gas nitriding processes that pre-modify the surface composition and structure, preparing it to better accommodate thermal stress and improve subsequent coating adhesion under thermal fatigue conditions
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs parameter changes by controlling the depth, concentration gradient, and compositional profile of the diffusion layer through adjustment of gas carburizing/nitriding parameters (temperature, time, gas composition). These parameter modifications create an optimized intermediate layer that bridges the thermal expansion mismatch between the metal substrate and coating layer
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
Improves adhesion between the metal base material and the coating layer, reduces contact resistance, and enhances water discharge performance, thereby increasing the durability and electrical conductivity of the fuel cell separator.
Implementation Method 1
a diffusion layer is formed by penetrating interfering particles between metal atoms of the metal base material while removing a passivation film formed on the surface of the metal base material by a gas carburizing process
Implementation Method 2
a coating layer is formed by coating carbon on the surface of the metal base material
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure relates to a separator for a fuel cell and a manufacturing method of the same. The manufacturing method of the separator for a fuel cell includes: an unevenness forming step of forming a fine-sized unevenness on a surface of a metal base material; and a coating layer forming step of forming a coating layer by coating carbon on the surface of the metal base material on which the unevenness is formed. Through the manufacturing method, it is possible to obtain an effect of improving water discharge performance and adhesion between the metal base material and the coating layer by forming unevenness on a surface of a metal base material, and then forming a coating layer.