Titanium separator material for fuel cells, and method for producing titanium separator material for fuel cells

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016268611-A1
Application number	US-201415033780-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Oct 20, 2014
Priority date	Nov 11, 2013
Publication date	Sep 15, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A fuel cell separator material made of titanium containing a carbon-based conductive layer formed on a surface of a base material. The base material contains pure titanium or a titanium alloy. The carbon-based conductive layer has a two-layer structure. In the carbon-based conductive layer, a layer on a side closer to the base material is a carbon layer and a layer on a side farther from the base material is a conductive resin layer. The carbon layer contains graphite and the carbon layer has a coverage of 40% or more. The conductive resin layer contains a carbon powder and a predetermined resin.

First claim

1 : A fuel cell separator material made of titanium, having a carbon-based conductive layer formed on a surface of a base material comprising pure titanium or a titanium alloy, wherein:
the carbon-based conductive layer has a two-layer structure, and in the carbon-based conductive layer, a layer on a side closer to the base material is a carbon layer and a layer on a side farther from the base material is a conductive resin layer; the carbon layer comprises graphite and the carbon layer has a coverage of 40% or more; and the conductive resin layer comprises a carbon powder and a resin and the resin is one or more resins selected from the group consisting of an acrylic resin, a polyester resin, an alkyd resin, a urethane resin, a silicone resin, a phenol resin, an epoxy resin, and a fluororesin.

2 : The fuel cell separator material made of titanium according to claim 1 , wherein the carbon layer has the coverage of 40% or more and 80% or less.

3 : The fuel cell separator material made of titanium according to claim 1 , having an interlayer comprising titanium carbide, the interlayer being formed between the base material and the carbon layer.

4 : The fuel cell separator material made of titanium according to claim 3 , wherein the conductive resin layer has a thickness of from 0.1 to 20 μm.

5 : A method for producing a fuel cell separator material made of titanium, comprising:
a carbon layer forming step of forming a carbon layer comprising graphite on a surface of a base material comprising pure titanium or a titanium alloy; and a conductive resin layer forming step of, after the carbon layer forming step, forming a conductive resin layer comprising a carbon powder and a resin on/above the base material having formed thereon the carbon layer, wherein: the carbon layer has a coverage of 40% or more; and the resin of the conductive resin layer is one or more resins selected from the group consisting of an acrylic resin, a polyester resin, an alkyd resin, a urethane resin, a silicone resin, a phenol resin, an epoxy resin, and a fluororesin.

6 : The method for producing a fuel cell separator material made of titanium according to claim 5 , wherein the carbon layer has the coverage of 40% or more and 80% or less.

7 : The method for producing a fuel cell separator material made of titanium according to claim 5 , further comprising a heat treatment step of heat-treating the base material at 200 to 550° C., after the conductive resin layer forming step.

8 : The method for producing a fuel cell separator material made of titanium according to claim 7 , further comprising a heat treatment step of heat-treating the base material at 300 to 850° C. under a non-oxidizing atmosphere, between the carbon layer forming step and the conductive resin layer forming step.

9 : The method for producing a fuel cell separator material made of titanium according to claim 5 , further comprising:
a press-forming step of, after the conductive resin layer forming step, press-forming the base material on/above which the carbon layer and the conductive resin layer have been formed, to form a gas flow path.

10 : The method for producing a fuel cell separator material made of titanium according to claim 9 , wherein the carbon layer has the coverage of 40% or more and 80% or less.

11 : The method for producing a fuel cell separator material made of titanium according to claim 9 , further comprising a heat treatment step of heat-treating the base material at 200 to 550° C., after the press-forming step.

12 : The method for producing a fuel cell separator material made of titanium according to claim 11 , further comprising a heat treatment step of heat-treating the base material at 300 to 850° C. under a non-oxidizing atmosphere, between the carbon layer forming step and the conductive resin layer forming step.

13 : A method for producing a fuel cell separator material made of titanium, comprising:
a carbon layer forming step of forming a carbon layer comprising graphite on a surface of a base material comprising pure titanium or a titanium alloy; a press-forming step of after the carbon layer forming step, press-forming the base material having formed thereon the carbon layer to form a gas flow path; and a conductive resin layer forming step of, after the press-forming step, forming a conductive resin layer comprising a carbon powder and a resin on/above the base material having formed thereon the carbon layer and having press-formed, wherein: the carbon layer has a coverage of 40% or more; and the resin of the conductive resin layer is one or more resins selected from the group consisting of an acrylic resin, a polyester resin, an alkyd resin, a urethane resin, a silicone resin, a phenol resin, an epoxy resin, and a fluororesin.

14 : The method for producing a fuel cell separator material made of titanium according to claim 13 , wherein the carbon layer has the coverage of 40% or more and 80% or less.

15 : The method for producing a fuel cell separator material made of titanium according to claim 13 , further comprising a heat treatment step of heat-treating the base material at 200 to 550° C., after the conductive resin layer forming step.

16 : The method for producing a fuel cell separator material made of titanium according to claim 5 , further comprising a heat treatment step of heat-treating the base material at 300 to 850° C. under a non-oxidizing atmosphere, between the carbon layer forming step and the press-forming step.

Assignees

• Kk Kobe Seiko Sho(Kobe Steel Ltd )
• Kobe Steel Ltd

Inventors

• Suzuki Jun
• Sato Toshiki

Classifications

• H01M8/0213

  Gas-impermeable carbon-containing materials · CPC title

• H01M8/0221

  Organic resins; Organic polymers · CPC title

• H01M8/0228 Primary

  in the form of layered or coated products · CPC title

• Y02E60/50

  Fuel cells · CPC title

• H01M8/0206

  Metals or alloys · CPC title