Comparative review of corrosion-resistant coatings on metal bipolar plates of proton exchange membrane fuel cells

In the realm of proton exchange membrane fuel cells(PEMFCs),the bipolar plates(BPs)are indispensable and serve pivotal roles in distributing reactant gases,collecting current,facilitating product water removal,and cooling the stack.Metal BPs,characterized by outstanding manufacturability,cost-effectiveness,higher power density,and mechanical strength,are emerging as viable alternatives to traditional graphite BPs.The foremost challenge for metal BPs lies in enhancing their corrosion resistance and conductivity under acidic conditions,necessitating the application of various coatings on their surfaces to ensure superior performance.This review summarizes and compares recent advancements in the research of eight distinct types of coatings for BPs in PEMFCs,including noble metal,carbide,ni-tride,and amorphous carbon(a-C)/metal compound composite coatings.The various challenges encountered in the manufacturing and fu-ture application of these coatings are also delineated.

Development of multi-group Monte-Carlo transport and depletion coupling calculation method and verification with metal-fueled fast reactor

The accurate modeling of depletion,intricately tied to the solution of the neutron transport equation,is crucial for the design,analysis,and licensing of nuclear reactors and their fuel cycles.This paper introduces a novel multi-group Monte-Carlo depletion calculation approach.Multi-group cross-sections(MGXS)are derived from both 3D whole-core model and 2D fuel subassembly model using the continuous-energy Monte-Carlo method.Core calculations employ the multi-group Monte-Carlo method,accommodating both homogeneous and specific local heterogeneous geometries.The proposed method has been validated against the MET-1000 metal-fueled fast reactors,using both the OECD/NEA benchmark and a new refueling benchmark introduced in this paper.Our findings suggest that microscopic MGXS,produced via the Monte-Carlo method,are viable for fast reactor depletion analyses.Furthermore,the locally heterogeneous model with angular-dependent MGXS offers robust predictions for core reactivity,control rod value,sodium void value,Doppler constants,power distribution,and concentration levels.

Combustion behavior and mechanism of molecular perovskite energetic material DAP-4-based composites with metal fuel Al

Combined with the oxidizer anions and fuel cations,molecular perovskite energetic materials show a good potential.In this work,the combustion behavior and mechanism of metal fuel aluminium(Al)with molecular perovskite energetic material(H_(2)dabco)[NH4(ClO_(4))_(3)](DAP-4)as a high-energy oxidant was investigated.The DAP-4 based composites with metal fuel Al were designed and fabricated by the different mass ratios.Results showed that DAP-4 exhibits a good oxygen-supplied capacity for enhancing the combustion performance of Al.The maximum combustion heat of DAP-4/Al-3 at the Al/O mass ratio of 38:62 is up to 10,412 J/g in the inert gas,which is higher than those of other ratios and the mixtures of other energetic materials and Al.The evolution of pressure output,pressurization rate,and flame temperature was monitored for DAP-4/Al with different mass ratios.Composites DAP-4/Al/F were characterized by burning rates.The combustion reaction mechanism of metal fuel Al with DAP-4 as a high-energy oxidant was provided.DAP-4 was ignited firstly and released acid and oxidizing gases,which corroded Al_(2)O_(3)shells on Al particle surfaces and accelerated the combustion reaction with Al to release a lot of energy.This work offered a new idea that molecular perovskite energetic materials have great potential in the high-energy Al-based solid rocket propellants.

Fe-N-C core-shell catalysts with single low-spin Fe(Ⅱ)-N_(4)species for oxygen reduction reaction and high-performance proton exchange membrane fuel cells

Fe-N-doped carbon materials(Fe-N-C)are promising candidates for oxygen reduction reaction(ORR)relative to Pt-based catalysts in proton exchange membrane fuel cells(PEMFCs).However,the intrinsic contributions of Fe-N_(4)moiety with different chemical/spin states(e.g.D1,D2,D3)to ORR are unclear since various states coexist inevitably.In the present work,Fe-N-C core-shell nanocatalyst with single lowspin Fe(Ⅱ)-N_(4)species(D1)is synthesized and identified with ex-situ ultralow temperature Mossbauer spectroscopy(T=1.6 K)that could essentially differentiate various Fe-N_(4)states and invisible Fe-O species.By quantifying with CO-pulse chemisorption,site density and turnover frequency of Fe-N-C catalysts reach 2.4×10^(-9)site g^(-1)and 23 e site~(-1)s^(-1)during the ORR,respectively.Half-wave potential(0.915V_(RHE))of the Fe-N-C catalyst is more positive(approximately 54 mV)than that of Pt/C.Moreover,we observe that the performance of PEMFCs on Fe-N-C almost achieves the 2025 target of the US Department of Energy by demonstrating a current density of 1.037 A cm^(-2)combined with the peak power density of 0,685 W cm^(-2),suggesting the critical role of Fe(Ⅱ)-N_(4)site(D1).After 500 h of running,PEMFCs still deliver a power density of 1.26 W cm^(-2)at 1.0 bar H_(2)-O_(2),An unexpected rate-determining step is figured out by isotopic labelling experiment and theoretical calculation.This work not only offers valuable insights regarding the intrinsic contribution of Fe-N_(4)with a single spin state to alkaline/acidic ORR,but also provides great opportunities for developing high-performance stable PEMFCs.

Manufacture, characterization and application of porous metal-fiber sintered felt used as mass-transfer-controlling medium for direct methanol fuel cells

Fabrication, characterization and performance of a porous metal-fiber sintered felt （PMFSF） based on multi-tooth cutting and solid-phase sintering were studied. The PMFSF was used as the anodic methanol barrier in a passive air-breathing direct methanol fuel cell to mitigate the effects of methanol crossover. Compared with the commercial SUS316L felt made of bundle-drawn fibers, this self-made PMFSF has larger pore diameter, polarized pore distribution, irregular fiber shape, rougher surface, lower mass flow resistance and evident hydrophobicity. The results reveal that the use of a PMFSF significantly enhances the cell performance since it helps to maintain a balance between the reactant and product management while depressing methanol crossover. The PMFSF with a porosity of 70% yields the highest cell performance at a methanol concentration of 4 mol/L.

Effects of environmental factors on corrosion behaviors of metal-fiber porous components in a simulated direct methanol fuel cell environment

Abstract： To enable the use of metallic components in direct methanol fuel cells （DMFCs）, issues related to corrosion resistance must be considered because of an acid environment induced by the solid electrolyte. In this study, we report the electrochemical behaviors of metal-fiber-based porous sintered components in a simulated corrosive environment of DMFCs. Three materials were evaluated： pure copper, AISI304, and AISI316L. The environmental factors and related mechanisms affecting the corrosion behaviors were analyzed. The results demonstrated that AISI316L exhibits the best performance. A higher SO4^2- concentration increases the risk of material corrosion, whereas an increase in methanol concentration inhibits corrosion. The morphological features of the corroded samples were also characterized in this study.

Review： Perspectives on the metallic interconnects for solid oxide fuel cells

The various stages and progress in the development of interconnect materials for solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs )over the last two decades are reviewed. The criteria for the application of materials as interconnects are highlighted. Interconnects based on lanthanum chromite ceramics demonstrate many inherent drawbacks and therefore are only useful for SOFCs operating around 1000℃. The advance in the research of anode-supported flat SOFCs facilitates the replacement of ceramic interconnects with metallic ones due to their significantly lowered working temperature. Besides, interconnects made of metals or alloys offer many advantages as compared to their ceramic counterpart. The oxidation response and thermal expansion behaviors of various prospective metallic interconnects are examined and evaluated. The minimization of contact resistance to achieve desired and reliable stack performance during their projected lifetime still remains a highly challenging issue with metallic interconnects. Inexpensive coating materials and techniques may play a key role in promoting the commercialization of SOFC stack whose interconnects are constructed of some current commercially available alloys. Alternatively, development of new metallic materials that are capable of forming stable oxide scales with sluggish growth rate and sufficient electrical conductivity is called for.

Transformation of alkali and alkaline-earth metals during coal oxy-fuel combustion in the presence of SO_2 and H_2O

The occurrence modes of alkali and alkaline-earth metals（AAEMs） in coal relate to their release behavior and ash formation during combustion. To better understand the transformation of AAEMs,the release behavior of water-soluble,HCl-soluble,HCl-insoluble AAEMs during Shenmu coal（SM coal） oxy-fuel combustion in the presence of SO2 and H2O in a drop-tube reactor was investigated through serial dissolution using H2O and HCl solutions. The results show that the release rates of AAEMs increase with an increase in temperature under the three atmospheres studied. The high release rates of Mg and Ca from SM coal are dependent on the high content of soluble Mg and Ca in SM coal. SO2 inhibits the release rates of AAEMs,while H2O promotes them. The effects of SO2 and H2O on the Na and K species are more evident than those on Mg and Ca species. All three types of AAEMs in coal can volatilize in the gas phase during coal combustion. The W-type AAEMs release excessively,whereas the release rates of I-type AAEMs are relatively lower. Different types of AAEM may interconvert through different pathways under certain conditions. Both SO2 and H2O promote the transformation reactions. The effect of SO2 was related to sulfate formation and the promotion by H2O occurs because of a decrease in the melting point of the solid as well as the reaction of H2O.

Fabrication of Gd_(2)O_(3)-doped CeO_(2)thin films through DC reactive sputtering and their application in solid oxide fuel cells

Physical vapor deposition(PVD)can be used to produce high-quality Gd_(2)O_(3)-doped CeO2(GDC)films.Among various PVD methods,reactive sputtering provides unique benefits,such as high deposition rates and easy upscaling for industrial applications.GDC thin films were successfully fabricated through reactive sputtering using a Gd_(0.2)Ce_(0.8)(at%)metallic target,and their application in solid oxide fuel cells,such as buffer layers between yttria-stabilized zirconia(YSZ)/La0.6Sr0.4Co0.2Fe0.8O_(3−δ)and as sublayers in the steel/coating system,was evaluated.First,the direct current(DC)reactive-sputtering behavior of the GdCe metallic target was determined.Then,the GDC films were deposited on NiO-YSZ/YSZ half-cells to investigate the influence of oxygen flow rate on the quality of annealed GDC films.The results demonstrated that reactive sputtering can be used to prepare thin and dense GDC buffer layers without high-temperature sintering.Furthermore,the cells with a sputtered GDC buffer layer showed better electrochemical performance than those with a screen-printed GDC buffer layer.In addition,the insertion of a GDC sublayer between the SUS441 interconnects and the Mn-Co spinel coatings contributed to the reduction of the oxidation rate for SUS441 at operating temperatures,according to the area-specific resistance tests.

Recent advances in regulating the performance of acid oxygen reduction reaction on carbon-supported non-precious metal single atom catalysts

Developing high performance and low-cost catalysts for oxygen reduction reaction(ORR)in challenging acid condition is vital for proton-exchange-membrane fuel cells(PEMFCs).Carbon-supported nonprecious metal single atom catalysts(SACs)have been identified as potential catalysts in the field.Great advance has been obtained in constructing diverse active sites of SACs for improving the performance and understanding the fundamental principles of regulating acid ORR performance.However,the ORR performance of SACs is still unsatisfactory.Importantly,microenvironment adjustment of SACs offers chance to promote the performance of acid ORR.In this review,acid ORR mechanism,attenuation mechanism and performance improvement strategies of SACs are presented.The strategies for promoting ORR activity of SACs include the adjustment of center metal and its microenvironment.The relationship of ORR performance and structure is discussed with the help of advanced experimental investigations and theoretical calculations,which will offer helpful direction for designing advanced SACs for ORR.

Recovery of greenhouse gas as cleaner fossil fuel contributes to carbon neutrality

Under the context of carbon neutrality of China,it is urgent to shift our energy supply towards cleaner fuels as well as to reduce the greenhouse gas emission.Currently,coal is the main fossil fuel energy source of China.The country is striving hard to replace it with methane,a cleaner fossil fuel.Although China has rich geological resources of methane as coal bed methane(CBM)reserves,it is quite challenging to utilize them due to low concentration.The CBM is however mainly emitted directly to atmosphere during coal mining,causing waste of the resource and huge contribution to greenhouse effect.The recent work by Yang et al.demonstrated a potential solution to extract low concentration methane selectively from CBM through using MOF materials as sorbents.Such kind of materials and associated separation technology are promising to reduce greenhouse gas emission and promote the methane production capability,which would contribute to carbon neutrality in dual pathways.

Development and validation of a new oxide fuel rod performance analysis code for the liquid metal fast reactor

The integrity and reliability of fuel rods under both normal and accidental operating conditions are of great importance for nuclear reactors.In this study,considering various irradiation behaviors,a fuel rod performance analysis code,named KMC-Fueltra,was developed to evaluate the thermal–mechanical performance of oxide fuel rods under both normal and transient conditions in the LMFR.The accuracy and reliability of the KMC-Fueltra were validated by analytical solutions,as well as the results obtained from codes and experiments.The results indicated that KMC-Fueltra can predict the performance of oxide fuel rods under both normal and transient conditions in the LMFR.

Exploitation of Waste Heat from a Solid Oxide Fuel Cell via an Alkali Metal Thermoelectric Converter and Electrochemical Cycles

In order to employ the waste heat effectively,a novel three-stage integrated system based upon a solid oxide fuel cell(SOFC),an alkali metal thermoelectric converter(AMTEC)and thermally regenerative electrochemical cycles(TRECs)is put forward.Considering the main electrochemically and thermodynamically irreversible losses,the power output and the efficiency of the subsystems and the integrated system are compared,and optimally operating regions for the current density,the power output,and the efficiency of the integrated system are explored.Calculations demonstrate that the maximum power density of the considered system is up to 7466 W/m2,which allows 18%and 74%higher than that of the conventional SOFC-AMTEC device and the stand-alone fuel cell model,respectively.It is proved that the considered system is an efficient approach to boost energy efficiency.Moreover,the influence of several significant parameters on the comprehensive performance of the integrated system is expounded in detail,including the electrolyte thickness of the SOFC,the leakage resistance of the SOFC,and the area ratio between the SOFC electrode and the AMTEC subsystem.

Statistical model for combustion of high-metal magnesium-based hydro-reactive fuel

We investigate experimentally and analytically the combustion behavior of a high-metal magnesium-based hydro- reactive fuel under high temperature gaseous atmosphere. The fuel studied in this paper contains 73% magnesium powders. An experimental system is designed and experiments are carried out in both argon and water vapor atmo- spheres. It is found that the burning surface temperature of the fuel is higher in water vapor than that in argon and both of them are higher than the melting point of magnesium, which indicates the molten state of magnesium particles in the burning surface of the fuel. Based on physical considerations and experimental results, a mathematical one-dimensional model is formulated to describe the combustion behavior of the high-metal magnesium-based hydro-reactive fuel. The model enables the evaluation of the burning surface temperature, the burning rate and the flame standoff distance each as a function of chamber pressure and water vapor concentration. The results predicted by the model show that the burning rate and the surface temperature increase when the chamber pressure and the water vapor concentration increase, which are in agreement with the observed experimental trends.

静电场作用下航煤氧化结焦过程分析

航空发动机燃烧室工作环境恶劣,导致燃油组分同溶解氧反应引发氧化沉积.通过对金属平板表面沉积的研究,分析电场对氧化结焦过程的影响.搭建了金属平板氧化结焦实验系统,对不同物理条件和电场性质下的结焦情况进行分析.研究表明:随着温度升高、表面粗糙度增加,结焦量增多;金属对焦体有催化作用而改变结焦形貌;电场的加入使焦体颗粒的粒径和融并现象发生变化,采用负电场时,表面结焦量大幅降低,焦体内部元素含量和结构发生改变,电场强度使结焦颗粒间排斥作用增大,抑制结焦过程,采用正电场时由于电场方向的改变促进了沉积向壁面的移动,使结焦量增加.

螺旋金属燃料多物理耦合分析方法与概念设计研究

螺旋金属燃料具有导热系数高、导热路径短、强制旋流交混的特点,可实现更高的堆芯功率密度,进而减小堆芯体积,提高反应堆的安全性和经济性。本文介绍了上海交通大学反应堆热工水力实验室建立的螺旋金属燃料热工水力、中子物理、力学特性分析方法及多物理耦合分析框架。在热工水力方面,基于自研仪器实现了交混及沸腾临界行为精细化测量,建立了三维及精细化子通道分析方法;在中子物理方面,建立了适用于特殊能谱、复杂几何的截面及稳瞬态中子物理特性的分析方法;在力学方面,基于分子动力学方法建立了U-Zr合金燃料基础热物性模型,并开展了辐照条件下螺旋棒宏观力学特性研究。基于热工-物理-力学多物理分析和优化,提出了螺旋金属燃料组件及堆芯设计,具有无硼化、堆芯功率密度高、体积小、换料周期长的特点。

金属有机骨架(MOFs)基复合质子交换膜的研究进展

近年来,金属有机骨架(MOFs)材料由于具有超大的比表面积和丰富的孔道结构,作为一种新型的质子导体在质子交换膜中的应用受到越来越多的关注。随着研究的不断深入,为进一步提升MOFs复合质子交换膜的各项性能,MOFs材料在质子交换膜中的物理形态逐渐由颗粒状向连续相发展,MOFs材料的组分也呈现出由单一组分到双组分的发展态势。本文以质子交换膜中MOFs材料的物理形态为主线,将其划分为MOFs晶体/聚合物质子交换膜、第三相增强MOFs/聚合物复合质子交换膜和MOFs纳米纤维/聚合物复合质子交换膜,全面综述了MOFs材料在质子交换膜中的研究进展,并对MOFs复合质子交换膜的发展方向进行了展望。

质子交换膜燃料电池泡沫金属流场传质性能

建立泡沫金属流场的三维完整形态,通过三维数值模拟进行研究,结果表明,泡沫金属流场可以有效地降低浓度极化损失,从而提高燃料电池在大电流密度下的性能,且与增加的输出功率密度相比,相应的泵送功率损失可以忽略不计。同时,在泡沫金属流场作用下,质子交换膜燃料电池内部的氧气浓度分布比传统的直流道的燃料电池更加均匀。通过台架试验,观测了泡沫流场中的液态水的流动状态,并通过三维数值模拟,得到了与试验相似的流动现象,且与传统直流道流场对比,泡沫金属流场对燃料电池水淹现象的改善有很大的帮助。

日钢大型高炉经济炼铁技术的应用效果

经济炼铁是基于系统集成的炼铁技术,运用经营理念指导炼铁生产实践,从而实现炼铁的经营目标。日钢根据自身的原燃料条件和技术经验,在新建3000m高炉时,对炉型设计充分优化,并创新性地把各系统先进技术进行集成应用,为高炉经济开炉及经济运行打下了良好基础。通过采取保障原燃料质量、控制合理的煤气流分布、活跃炉缸、优化渣相等措施,高炉实现了经济冶炼条件下炉况长期稳定顺行,生铁成本优势明显。2023年1-8月,对比沿江沿海25家钢企同类高炉综合生铁成本,日钢大型高炉生铁成本领先82元/t。

基于MOOSE平台液态金属冷却快堆燃料性能分析程序开发

液态金属冷却快堆对于我国核能创新发展具有非常重要的战略意义,开发适用其的燃料性能分析程序对于快堆的设计与安全分析具有重要意义。本文基于多物理耦合平台MOOSE,开发了燃料性能分析程序LoongCALF,程序面向金属冷却快堆燃料元件。程序采用有限元方法和JFNK方法,能够求解核反应堆燃料的热-力耦合方程,从而得到温度、应力、应变及裂变气体释放等物理量在空间上的分布及随时间的变化。程序采用模块化设计,适用于芯块材料为UO 2和MOX、包壳材料为1515Ti和HT-9的燃料元件。为验证程序的准确性,设计了两个燃料元件算例,并使用LoongCALF程序与中国原子能科学研究院Fiber-Oxide程序对算例进行对比计算。结果表明,LoongCALF程序能够准确模拟液态金属冷却快堆稳态工况条件下燃料元件内部的燃料行为与关键参数演化。