Performance Enhancement of a-C:Cr Thin Films Deposited on 316L Stainless Steel as Bipolar Plates via a Thin Ti Layer by Mid-Frequency Magnetron Sputtering for PEMFC Application

Ti/a-C:Cr multilayer films were deposited on 316L stainless steel (SS316L) substrates using medium-frequency alternating current magnetron sputtering, with a single-layer a-C:Cr film also prepared on a titanium substrate. The influence of sputtering pressure on the film’s structure and properties wa...

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Main Authors: Yuxing Zhao, Song Li, Saiqiang Wang, Ming Ma, Ming Chen, Jiao Yang, Chunlei Yang, Weimin Li
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-06-01
Series:Energies
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/18/13/3270
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author Yuxing Zhao
Song Li
Saiqiang Wang
Ming Ma
Ming Chen
Jiao Yang
Chunlei Yang
Weimin Li
author_facet Yuxing Zhao
Song Li
Saiqiang Wang
Ming Ma
Ming Chen
Jiao Yang
Chunlei Yang
Weimin Li
author_sort Yuxing Zhao
collection DOAJ
description Ti/a-C:Cr multilayer films were deposited on 316L stainless steel (SS316L) substrates using medium-frequency alternating current magnetron sputtering, with a single-layer a-C:Cr film also prepared on a titanium substrate. The influence of sputtering pressure on the film’s structure and properties was systematically investigated. Film morphology and microstructure were analyzed via X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and atomic force microscopy (AFM). At a pressure of 1.4 MPa, the interfacial contact resistance (ICR) of SS316L bipolar plates (BPPs) coated with the films reached as low as 3.30 mΩ·cm<sup>2</sup>, while that of titanium BPPs was 2.90 mΩ·cm<sup>2</sup>. Under simulated proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) cathode conditions (70 °C, 0.6 V vs. SCE, 0.5 M H<sub>2</sub>SO<sub>4</sub>, 5 ppm HF solution), the corrosion current density, Icorr, reached optimal values of 0.69 μA·cm<sup>−2</sup> for SS316L and 0.62 μA·cm<sup>−2</sup> for titanium. These results demonstrate that parameter optimization enables SS316L BPPs to functionally replace titanium counterparts, offering significant cost reductions for metal BPPs and accelerating the commercialization of PEMFC technology.
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spelling doaj-art-b15455b2b65345979664cb15b9c1631f2025-07-11T14:38:29ZengMDPI AGEnergies1996-10732025-06-011813327010.3390/en18133270Performance Enhancement of a-C:Cr Thin Films Deposited on 316L Stainless Steel as Bipolar Plates via a Thin Ti Layer by Mid-Frequency Magnetron Sputtering for PEMFC ApplicationYuxing Zhao0Song Li1Saiqiang Wang2Ming Ma3Ming Chen4Jiao Yang5Chunlei Yang6Weimin Li7Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, ChinaShenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, ChinaShenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, ChinaShenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, ChinaShenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, ChinaShenzhen Center Power Tech Co., Ltd., Center Power Industrial Park, Tongfu Industrial District, Dapeng Town, Shenzhen 518120, ChinaShenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, ChinaShenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, ChinaTi/a-C:Cr multilayer films were deposited on 316L stainless steel (SS316L) substrates using medium-frequency alternating current magnetron sputtering, with a single-layer a-C:Cr film also prepared on a titanium substrate. The influence of sputtering pressure on the film’s structure and properties was systematically investigated. Film morphology and microstructure were analyzed via X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and atomic force microscopy (AFM). At a pressure of 1.4 MPa, the interfacial contact resistance (ICR) of SS316L bipolar plates (BPPs) coated with the films reached as low as 3.30 mΩ·cm<sup>2</sup>, while that of titanium BPPs was 2.90 mΩ·cm<sup>2</sup>. Under simulated proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) cathode conditions (70 °C, 0.6 V vs. SCE, 0.5 M H<sub>2</sub>SO<sub>4</sub>, 5 ppm HF solution), the corrosion current density, Icorr, reached optimal values of 0.69 μA·cm<sup>−2</sup> for SS316L and 0.62 μA·cm<sup>−2</sup> for titanium. These results demonstrate that parameter optimization enables SS316L BPPs to functionally replace titanium counterparts, offering significant cost reductions for metal BPPs and accelerating the commercialization of PEMFC technology.https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/18/13/3270medium-frequency magnetron alternating current sputteringproton exchange membrane fuel cellbipolar plate coatingsmultilayernew energy
spellingShingle Yuxing Zhao
Song Li
Saiqiang Wang
Ming Ma
Ming Chen
Jiao Yang
Chunlei Yang
Weimin Li
Performance Enhancement of a-C:Cr Thin Films Deposited on 316L Stainless Steel as Bipolar Plates via a Thin Ti Layer by Mid-Frequency Magnetron Sputtering for PEMFC Application
Energies
medium-frequency magnetron alternating current sputtering
proton exchange membrane fuel cell
bipolar plate coatings
multilayer
new energy
title Performance Enhancement of a-C:Cr Thin Films Deposited on 316L Stainless Steel as Bipolar Plates via a Thin Ti Layer by Mid-Frequency Magnetron Sputtering for PEMFC Application
title_full Performance Enhancement of a-C:Cr Thin Films Deposited on 316L Stainless Steel as Bipolar Plates via a Thin Ti Layer by Mid-Frequency Magnetron Sputtering for PEMFC Application
title_fullStr Performance Enhancement of a-C:Cr Thin Films Deposited on 316L Stainless Steel as Bipolar Plates via a Thin Ti Layer by Mid-Frequency Magnetron Sputtering for PEMFC Application
title_full_unstemmed Performance Enhancement of a-C:Cr Thin Films Deposited on 316L Stainless Steel as Bipolar Plates via a Thin Ti Layer by Mid-Frequency Magnetron Sputtering for PEMFC Application
title_short Performance Enhancement of a-C:Cr Thin Films Deposited on 316L Stainless Steel as Bipolar Plates via a Thin Ti Layer by Mid-Frequency Magnetron Sputtering for PEMFC Application
title_sort performance enhancement of a c cr thin films deposited on 316l stainless steel as bipolar plates via a thin ti layer by mid frequency magnetron sputtering for pemfc application
topic medium-frequency magnetron alternating current sputtering
proton exchange membrane fuel cell
bipolar plate coatings
multilayer
new energy
url https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/18/13/3270
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