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.

Anisotropy in mechanical properties and corrosion resistance of 316L stainless steel fabricated by selective laser melting

The corrosion behavior and mechanical properties of 316 L stainless steel(SS) fabricated via selective laser melting(SLM) were clarified by potentiodynamic polarization measurements, immersion tests, and tensile experiments. The microstructural anisotropy of SLMed 316 L SS was also investigated by electron back-scattered diffraction and transmission electron microscopy. The grain sizes of the SLMed 316 L SS in the XOZ plane were smaller than those of the SLMed 316 L SS in the XOY plane, and a greater number of low-angle boundaries were present in the XOY plane, resulting in lower elongation for the XOY plane than for the XOZ plane. The SLMed 316 L was expected to exhibit higher strength but lower ductility than the wrought 316 L, which was attributed to the high density of dislocations. The pitting potentials of the SLMed 316 L samples were universally higher than those of the wrought sample in chloride solutions because of the annihilation of MnS or(Ca,Al)-oxides during the rapid solidification. However, the molten pool boundaries preferentially dissolved in aggressive solutions and the damage of the SLMed 316 L in FeCl3 solution was more serious after long-term service, indicating poor durability.

Preparation and characterization of a chitosan-based low-pH-sensitive intelligent corrosion inhibitor

A chitosan （CS）-based low-pH-sensitive intelligent corrosion inhibitor was prepared by loading a pH-sensitive hydrogel with benzotriazole （BTA）; the pH-sensitive hydrogel was synthetized by crosslinking CS with glutaraldehyde （GTA）. Analysis by Fou- tier-transform inflared （FT-IR） spectroscopy showed that Schiff reactions occurred between amino and aldehyde groups. The swelling abil- ity of the hydrogel was investigated using a mass method, and it was observed to swell more in an acidic environment than in an alkaline en- vironment. The hydrogel＇s loading capacity of BTA was approximately 0.377 g·g ^-1, and its release speed was faster in an acidic environment than in an alkaline environment because of its swelling behavior. The corrosion inhibition ability of the intelligent inhibitor was tested by immersion and electrochemical methods. The results showed that after 4 h of immersion, the polarization resistance （Rp） value of copper with the intelligent inhibitor was approximately twice of that of copper with BTA, indicating that the intelligent inhibitor could effectively prevent copper from corroding.

Effect of microstructure on corrosion behavior of high strength martensite steel-A literature review

The high strength martensite steels are widely used in aerospace,ocean engineering,etc.,due to their high strength,good ductility and acceptable corrosion resistance.This paper provides a review for the influence of microstructure on corrosion behavior of high strength martensite steels.Pitting is the most common corrosion type of high strength stainless steels,which always occurs at weak area of passive film such as inclusions,carbide/intermetallic interfaces.Meanwhile,the chromium carbide precipitations in the martensitic lath/prior austenite boundaries always result in intergranular corrosion.The precipitation,dislocation and grain/lath boundary are also used as crack nucleation and hydrogen traps,leading to hydrogen embrittlement and stress corrosion cracking for high strength martensite steels.Yet,the retained/reversed austenite has beneficial effects on the corrosion resistance and could reduce the sensitivity of stress corrosion cracking for high strength martensite steels.Finally,the corrosion mechanisms of additive manufacturing high strength steels and the ideas for designing new high strength martensite steel are explored.

Flow-accelerated corrosion behavior of 13Cr stainless steel in a wet gas environment containing CO_2

This work investigated the flow-accelerated corrosion （FAC） behavior of 13Cr in a wet CO2-containing environment at different flowing gas velocities mid impinging mlgles, with the natural-gas pipeline environment simulated by a self-assembled impingement jet sys- tem. Surface molphology determination, electrochemical measurements, mid hydromechaziics numerical analysis were cmlied out to study the FAC behavior. The results demonstrate that pitting corrosion was the primary mode of corrosion in 13Cr stainless steel. High-flow-rate gas destroyed the passive film mid decreased the pitting potential, resulting in more serious corrosion. The corrosion degree witk various im- pact mlgles showed the following order： 90~ 〉 60~ 〉 45~. The shear force and the electrolyte from the flowing gas were concluded to be the determinm^t factors of FAC, whereas the shear force was the main factor responsible for destroying the passive film.

Influence of oxide scales on the corrosion behaviors of B510L hot-rolled steel strips

The influence of oxide scales on the corrosion behaviors of B510 L hot-rolled steel strips was investigated in this study. Focused ion beams and scanning electron microscopy were used to observe the morphologies of oxide scales on the surface and cross sections of the hot-rolled steel. Raman spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction were used for the phase analysis of the oxide scales and corrosion products. The corrosion potential and impedance were measured by anodic polarization and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. According to the results, oxide scales on the hot-rolled strips mainly comprise iron and iron oxides. The correlation between mass gain and test time follows a power exponential rule in the damp-heat test. The corrosion products are found to be mainly composed of γ-Fe OOH, Fe3O4, ？-Fe OOH, and γ-Fe2O3. The contents of the corrosion products are different on the surfaces of the steels with and without oxide scales. The steel with oxide scales is found to show a higher corrosion resistance and lower corrosion rate.

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.

Mechanical properties and corrosion behavior of selective laser melted 316L stainless steel after different heat treatment processes

Irregular grains, high interfacial stresses and anisotropic properties widely exist in 3D-printed metallic materials, and this paper investigated the effects of heat treatment on the microstructural, mechanical and corrosion properties of 316 L stainless steel fabricated by selective laser melting. Sub-grains and low-angle boundaries exist in the as-received selective laser melted(SLMed) 316 L stainless steel. After heat treatment at 1050℃, the sub-grains and low-angle boundaries changed slightly, and the stress state and strength decreased to some extent due to the decrease of dislocation density. After heat treatment at 1200℃, the grains became uniform, and the dislocation cells vanished, which led to a sharp decline in the hardness and strength. However, the ductility was improved after recrystallization heat treatment.The passive film thickness and corrosion potential of the SLMed 316 L stainless steel decreased after heat treatment, and the pitting potential also decreased due to the accelerated transition from metastable to steady-state pitting;this accelerated transition was caused by the presence of weak passive films at the enlarged pores after heat treatment, especially for an adequate solid solution treatment.

Understanding environmental impacts on initial atmospheric corrosion based on corrosion monitoring sensors

Atmospheric corrosion monitoring(ACM)sensors were employed to study the initial atmospheric corrosion of carbon steels over a one-month period in six outdoor dynamic atmospheric environments in China.Based on the~250,000 corrosion data sets collected,the environmental impacts of relative humidity,temperature and rainfall on the initial corrosion behavior of carbon steels were investigated.The results showed that rainfall was the strongest environmental factor influencing the initial atmospheric corrosion rate.Relative humidity significantly influenced the corrosion of carbon steels in low-precipitation environments and non-rainfall period.

Simultaneously Improving Mechanical Properties and Stress Corrosion Cracking Resistance of High-Strength Low-Alloy Steel via Finish Rolling within Non-recrystallization Temperature

The effect of hot rolling process on microstructure evolution,mechanical properties and stress corrosion cracking(SCC)resistance of high-strength low-alloy(HSLA)steels was investigated by varying the finish rolling temperature(FRT)and total rolling reduction.The results revealed granular bainite with large equiaxed grains was obtained by a total rolling reduction of60%with the FRT of 950℃(within recrystallization temperature T_(r)).The larger grain size and much less grain boundaries should account for the relatively lower strength and SCC resistance.A larger rolling reduction of 80% under the same FRT resulted in the formation of massive martensite-austenite(M/A)constituents and resultant low ductility and SCC resistance.In contrast,a good combination of strength,ductility and SCC resistance was obtained via 80% rolling reduction with the FRT of 860℃(within non-recrystallization temperature T_(nr)),probably because of the fine grain size and M/A constituents,as well as a high density of grain boundary network.

Enhancing the mechanical and anticorrosion properties of 316L stainless steel via a cathodic plasma electrolytic nitriding treatment with added PEG

A cathodic plasma electrolytic nitriding(CPEN)treatment with a urea aqueous solution was performed on 316L stainless steel to rapidly improve its surface properties in this work.Test results show that the PEG2000 macromolecules increased the nitriding energy via enhancing the ability to bond the produced gas film to the metal/electrolyte interface.The cross-sectional morphologies indicate that a thick nitrided layer was obtained when the urea concentration was 543 g I^-1,corresponding to a Vickers hardness 450 HV(0.1),which was 3.5 times larger than that of the substrate.The nitrided layer mainly contained expanded austenite(γN),oxides and iron nitrides(e.g.,Fe3O4 and FeN(0.076)).In terms of its performance,coefficient of friction(COF)of the nitride layer decreased to nearly two-thirds that of the untreated layer,and the passivation current densities of the nitrided sample in a 3.5%NaCl solution decreased by an order of magnitude compared to that of the substrate.Therefore,the approach presented herein provides an attractive way to modify the effect of CPEN in a urea aqueous solution.

Relationship Between Microstructure and Corrosion Behavior of Cr12Ni3Co12Mo4W Ultra-High-Strength Martensitic Stainless Steel

The effect of tempering temperature on the microstructure and corrosion behavior of Cr12Ni3Co12Mo4W ultra-high-strength martensitic stainless steel was investigated using transmission electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, X-ray diffraction, and electrochemical tests. The microstructures of the ultra-high-strength martensitic stainless steel consisted of some retained austenite and lath/plant martensite with the carbides distributed within the matrix and at the grain boundaries. Tempering of the steel for 4 h at various temperatures resulted in various carbide grain sizes and different amounts of the retained austenite. The results showed that larger carbide grains led to diminished corrosion resistance, whereas larger amounts of the retained austenite resulted in improved corrosion resistance. The steels exhibited good corrosion resistance in 0.017 mol/L NaCl solution and exhibited pitting corrosion in 0.17 mol/L Na Cl solution. The martensite and prior austenite crystal boundaries dissolved in solution with pH 1.

Recrystallization effect on surface passivation of Hastelloy X alloy fabricated by laser powder bed fusion

Post-heat treatment is generally adopted in the additive manufacturing field due to its alleviation of high residual stress and modification of rapid-solidified multilevel heterogeneous microstructure,and the related performance of the heat-treated counterparts calls for a systemic investigation to build a criterion of the heat treatment procedure.In this work,we focus on the heat treatment effects on the recrystallization of the Hastelloy X alloy produced by the laser powder bed fusion(LPBF)method,and the related surface passivation of the heat-treated counterparts is meticulously assessed as well.Results show that the multilevel heterostructure for LPBF Hastelloy X alloy consists of sub-micro dislocation cell substructures with Cr/Mo elemental segregation,fine columnar grains,and periodically-distributed molten pools.After heat treatment,partially and fully recrystallized structures for LPBF Hastelloy X alloys were achieved at 1100 and 1200℃for 1 h,respectively.Furthermore,the as-built LPBF Hastelloy X alloy shows superior corrosion resistance while the heat-treated one(1100℃)exhibits the worst in the borate buffer solution.The growth of passive film exhibited a highly linear correlation with the nucleation process controlled by diffusion,and high dislocation density and low angle grain boundary decreased the diffusion coefficient of cation vacancies,augmenting the nucleation sites of the passive film and enhancing its growth rate.Moreover,the micro-galvanic effect resulting from the partially recrystallized microstructure actively facilitated the formation of inhomogeneous porous passive films,leading to the worst corrosion resistance.

Design materials based on simulation results of silicon induced segregation at AlSi10Mg interface fabricated by selective laser melting

AlSi10Mg fabricated by selective laser melting(SLM)had a unique network-like silicon-rich structure,and the mechanism for its formation was explained by molecular dynamics(MD)simulations.The effects of the silicon-rich phase and Mg-containing structure on corrosion were studied by first-principles methods.According to the simulations,corrosion resistant materials were designed,samples with laser powers of 150 W,200 W and 250 W were fabricated.The results indicated that a local thermal gradient during laser printing caused Si segregation,and the rapid cooling rate lead to a large number of subgrains,which assisted precipitation.The difference in potential caused galvanic corrosion,and a structure with low work function in the molten pool caused pitting.The corrosion resistance of materials processed with a high laser power increased.