• Corrosion Science and Technology
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• 제12권4호
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• pp.171-178
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• 2013

In a polymer membrane fuel cell stack, the bipolar plate is a key element because it accounts for over 50% of total costs of the stack. In order to lower the cost of bipolar plates, 316L stainless steels coated with nitrides such as TiN and CrN by physical vapor deposition were investigated as alternative materials for the replacement of traditional brittle graphite bipolar-plates. For this purpose, interfacial contact resistances were measured and electrochemical corrosion tests were conducted. The results showed that although both TiN and CrN coatings decreased the interfacial contact resistances to less than $10m{\Omega}{\cdot}cm^2$, they did not significantly improve the corrosion resistance in simulated polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell environments. A CrN coating on 316L stainless steel showed better corrosion resistance than a TiN coating did, indicating the possibility of using modified CrN coated metallic bipolar plates to replace graphite bipolar plates.

• 한국신재생에너지학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국신재생에너지학회 2010년도 추계학술대회 초록집
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• pp.73.1-73.1
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• 2010

For the successful cold starting of a fuel cell engine, either internal of external heat supply must be made to overcome the formation of ice from water below the freezing point of water. In the present study, switchable vanadium oxide compounds as variable temperature-electrical resistance materials onto the surface of flat metallic bipolar plates have been prepared by a dip-coating technique via an aqueous sol-gel method. Subsequently, the chemical composition and micro-structure of the polycrystalline solid thin films were analyzed by X-ray diffraction, X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy, and field emission scanning electron microscopy. In addition, it was carefully measured electrical resistance hysteresis loop over a temperature range from $-20^{\circ}C$ to $80^{\circ}C$ using the four-point probe method. The experimental results revealed that the thin films was mainly composed of Karelianite $V_2O_3$ which acts as negative temperature coefficient materials. Also, it was found that thermal dissipation rate of the vanadium oxide thin films partially satisfy about 50% saving of the substantial amount of energy required for ice melting at $-20^{\circ}C$. Moreover, electrical resistances of the vanadium-based materials converge on an extremely small value similar to that of pure flat metallic bipolar plates at higher temperature, i.e. $T{\geq}40^{\circ}C$. As a consequence, experimental studies proved that it is possible to apply the variable temperature-electrical resistance material based on vanadium oxides for the cold starting enhancement of a fuel cell vehicle and minimize parasitic power loss and eliminate any necessity for external equipment for heat supply in freezing conditions.

• 한국추진공학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국추진공학회 2009년도 제33회 추계학술대회논문집
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• pp.278-281
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• 2009

소형 정찰 UAV의 새로운 동력원으로 적용하고자 하는 연료전지 시스템의 경량화를 위한 연구로 알루미늄 분리판의 성능을 측정하였다. 흑연 분리판과의 성능 비교를 통해 알루미늄 분리판이 흑연 분리판에 비해 무게 대비 높은 성능을 보이는 것을 확인하였다. 작동온도에 따른 성능 변화를 확인하기 위해 40 / 50 / $60^{\circ}C$의 작동온도에서 알루미늄 단위 전지의 성능을 측정한 결과 건조한 반응기체의 경우 일반적인 작동온도 보다 비교적 낮은 $40^{\circ}C$에서 가장 좋은 성능을 보이는 것을 확인하였다.

• 한국전기화학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국전기화학회 2004년도 춘계총회 및 학술발표회
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• pp.7-7
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• 2004

• 한국수소및신에너지학회논문집
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• 제22권3호
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• pp.409-414
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• 2011

건물용 고분자연료전지는 저탄소 녹색산업화에 기여할 수 있는 대표적인 신재생에너지원으로, 정부 주도의 보급사업을 통해 초기 시장창출이 이루어지고 있다. 고분자연료전지 산업화 촉진을 위해서는 분리판을 비롯한 구성 부품의 상용화 기술개발과 저가화가 필수적이다. 탄소복합체 몰딩분리판의 적용은 고분자연료전지 상용화를 앞당기는데 기여할 것이다. 한국타이어에서 개발한 복합체 몰딩분리판은 고분자연료전지 스택 부품으로서의 요구 특성과 성능을 모두 만족시키는 것으로 나타났다. 한국타이어는 분리판 상용화 기술개발과 지속적인 생산능력 확보를 통해 국산 연료전지의 가격 및 성능 경쟁력 향상을 위해 최선의 노력을 다하고 있다.

• Corrosion Science and Technology
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• 제15권2호
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• pp.92-107
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• 2016

Graphene was coated on austenitic and martensitic stainless steels to simulate the metallic bipolar plate of proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC). Graphene oxide (GO) was synthesized and was reduced to reduced graphene oxide (rGO) via a hydrazine process. rGO was confirmed by FE-SEM, Raman spectroscopy and XPS. Interfacial contact resistance (ICR) between the bipolar plate and the gas diffusion layer (GDL) was measured to confirm the electrical conductivity. Both ICR and corrosion current density decreased on graphene coated stainless steels. Corrosion resistance was also improved with immersion time in cathodic environments and satisfied the criteria of the Department of Energy (DOE), USA. The total concentrations of metal ions dissolved from graphene coated stainless steels were reduced. Furthermore hydrophobicity was improved by increasing the contact angle.

• 신재생에너지
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• 제4권1호
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• pp.31-36
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• 2008

Stainless steels have been widely considered as metallic bipolar plates, due to their passive surface film, which is good for corrosion resistance. However, the high resistivity of the passive film increases interfacial contact resistance between the bipolar plates and the electrodes. Stainless steels thermal spray coated with a mixture of tungsten carbide and stainless steel powders showed that the coated layer safely combined with the matrix but they suffered many internal defects including voids and cracks. Many cracks were formed in the coated layer and the interface of the matrix and the coated layer during the rolling process. The coated and rolled stainless steels showed lower interfacial contact resistance and corrosion resistance than bare stainless steel because of low resistivity of tungsten carbide and numerous defects, which caused crevice corrosion, in the coated layer.

• 한국표면공학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국표면공학회 2012년도 춘계학술발표회 논문집
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• pp.306-306
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• 2012

• Corrosion Science and Technology
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• 제20권6호
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• pp.347-360
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• 2021

Currently, the demand for eco-friendly energy sources is high, which has prompted research on polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells. Both aluminum alloys and nickel alloys, which are commonly considered as materials of bipolar plates in fuel cells, oxide layers formed on the metal surface have excellent corrosion resistance. In this research, the electrochemical characteristics of 6061-T6 aluminum alloy and Inconel 600 were investigated with chloride concentrations in an acid environment that simulated the cathode condition of the PEMFC. After potentiodynamic polarization experiments, Tafel analysis and surface analysis were performed. Inconel 600 presented remarkably good corrosion resistance under all test conditions. The corrosion current density of 6061-T6 aluminum alloy was significantly higher than that of Inconel 600 under all test conditions. Also, 6061-T6 aluminum alloy and Inconel 600 presented uniform corrosion and intergranular corrosion, respectively. The Ni, Cr, and Fe, which are the main chemical compositions of Inconel 600, are higher than Al in the electromotive force series. And a double oxide film of NiO-Cr₂O₃, which is more stable than Al₂O₃, is formed. Thus, the corrosion resistance of Inconel 600 is better.

• 소성∙가공
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• 제21권8호
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• pp.499-505
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• 2012

The fuel cell is a very promising power generation system combining the benefits of extremely low emissions, high efficiency, ease of maintenance and durability. In order to promote the commercialization of fuel cells, a flexible forming process, in which a hyper-elastic rubber is adopted as a medium to transmit forming pressure, is suggested as an efficient and cost effective manufacturing method for fuel cell bipolar plates. In this study, the ability of this flexible forming process to produce the micro channel arrays on metallic bipolar plates was first demonstrated experimentally. Then, a finite element (FE) model was built and validated through comparisons between simulated and experimental results. The effects of key process parameters on the forming performance such as applied load and punch velocity were investigated. As a result, appropriate process parameter values allowing high dimensional accuracy without failure were suggested.