Effect of bipolar-plates design on corrosion,mass and heat transfer in proton-exchange membrane fuel cells and water electrolyzers:A review

Attaining a decarbonized and sustainable energy system,which is the core solution to global energy issues,is accessible through the development of hydrogen energy.Proton-exchange membrane water electrolyzers(PEMWEs)are promising devices for hydrogen production,given their high efficiency,rapid responsiveness,and compactness.Bipolar plates account for a relatively high percentage of the total cost and weight compared with other components of PEMWEs.Thus,optimization of their design may accelerate the promotion of PEMWEs.This paper reviews the advances in materials and flow-field design for bipolar plates.First,the working conditions of proton-exchange membrane fuel cells(PEMFCs)and PEMWEs are compared,including reaction direction,operating temperature,pressure,input/output,and potential.Then,the current research status of bipolar-plate substrates and surface coatings is summarized,and some typical channel-rib flow fields and porous flow fields are presented.Furthermore,the effects of materials on mass and heat transfer and the possibility of reducing corrosion by improving the flow field structure are explored.Finally,this review discusses the potential directions of the development of bipolar-plate design,including material fabrication,flow-field geometry optimization using threedimensional printing,and surface-coating composition optimization based on computational materials science.

Multi-action self-healing coatings with simultaneous recovery of corrosion resistance and adhesion strength

In this study, a new self-healing strategy that can simultaneously recover the corrosion resistance and the adhesion strength of coatings was introduced. The coating was based on a shape memory epoxy resin containing ethylene vinyl acetate(EVA) microspheres loaded with Ce(NO_(3))_(3)inhibitors, and was cured at a relatively high temperature to facilitate the fusion of adjacent microspheres for a strengthened self-healing effect. The electrochemical impedance spectroscopy(EIS) and scanning electrochemical microscopy(SECM) results demonstrated that the shape memory effect of epoxy matrix, the filling of molten EVA microspheres as well as the release of Ce(NO_(3))_(3)inhibitors contributed synergistically to suppress the corrosion reaction at the coating damage. After healing, the low frequency impedance modulus of the coatings containing Ce(NO_(3))_(3)-EVA microspheres was three orders of magnitude higher than that of the blank epoxy coating. The adhesion strength of the coatings containing Ce(NO_(3))_(3)-EVA microspheres on the metal substrate was also largely repaired thanks to the strong bonding effect of the EVA microspheres.

Design and fabrication of bipolar plates for PEM water electrolyser

Hydrogen energy,whether in generation plants or utilization facilities,plays a decisive role in the mission to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions,all to minimize pollution.The growing demand for clean energy carrier steadily accelerates the development of hydrogen production processes,and therein proton exchange membrane(PEM)water electrolysis is deemed a promising long-term strategy for hydrogen preparation and collection.This review retrospects recent developments and applications of bipolar plates(BPs)as key components in PEM fuel cells and water electrolysers.The main content includes multifaceted challenges in the R&D or fabrication of BPs and potential future trends have also been proposed.Specific details cover the BPs matrix(metallic materials and carbon composites)and the surface coating types(metal and compound coatings,carbon-based coatings,and polymer coatings),as well as the influence of flow field design for mass transport.Long-term development and feasible researches of BPs are prospected.Especially in the following aspects:(1)Structural and functional integration of components,such as material fabrication and flow field geometry optimization using 3D printing technology;(2)Introduction of environment-friendly renewable energy for hydrogen production;(3)Research on hydrogen energy reversible systems;(4)Composition optimization of surface coatings based on computational materials science and(5)systematic design expected to evolve into the next generation of BPs.