Electrochemical nitridation of a stainless steel for PEMFC bipolar plates

AISI446 steel has been electrochemically nitrided in 0.1 M HNO3 + 0.5 M KNO3 solution at room temperature. XPS analysis revealed surface NH3 and a deeper nitride layer. The surface layer of the stainless steel modified by electrochemical nitridation was thus composed of a nitrogen-incorporated oxide film. The nitrided steel showed very low interfacial contact resistance (ca. 18 mΩ cm2 at 140 N/cm2) and excellent corrosion resistance in simulated PEMFC environments. Electrochemical nitridation provides an economic way to modify the stainless steel’s surface, and is very promising for application to fuel cell bipolar plates.

► We modified AISI446 stainless steels via electrochemical nitridation.
► A nitrogen-incorporated oxide layer formed during electrochemical nitridation.
► Such nitrided layer gave low ICR and high corrosion resistance in PEMFC environments.
► Electrochemical nitridation of steels is an economic way for making bipolar plates.