Technologies and services

SCOPE

Hydrogen production

Maturity Level

TRL 7

Development Level

Prototype

Protection Level

Knowledge register

Engineering coatings for fuel cells and electrolysers  

Entity:

Development and application of engineering coatings obtained by Physical Vapour Deposition (PVD) technologies for the protection of metallic bipolar plates of fuel cells and electrolysers.  

Advising companies that manufacture fuel cells, electrolysers or bipolar plates in the selection of the type and technology of coating. 

Characterisation of microstructural, morphological, chemical (corrosion resistance) and electrical (interfacial contact resistance, ICR, measurement) properties of coated bipolar plates. 

Challenges met

  • Improving durability of fuel cells and electrolysers 
  • Improving the performance of fuel cells and electrolysers 

Scope of application

Hydrogen fuel cells and electrolysers. Power generation, electromobility. 

Main publications

  • Development and characterization of chromium carbide PVD coatings for the protection of PEM fuel cell metallic bipolar plates. R. Bonet, J. Orrit-Prat, S. Molas, A. Concustell, M. Bahillo, J. Caro. 15th Mediterranean Congress of Chemical Engineering (MeCCE-15), Barcelona (Spain), 30 May-2 June (2023).
  • Development and characterization of chromium-based PVD coatings for the protection of stainless steel bipolar plates for PEM fuel cells. R. Bonet, J. Orrit-Prat, S. Molas, A. Concustell, M. Bahillo, J. Caro. Plasma Thin Film International Union Meeting (PLATHINIUM), Antibes (France), 11-15 September (2023).

Related projects

  • INNPLÁGENO: Innovation in manufacturing and coating technologies to optimise the performance of polymeric membrane bipolar battery plates and hydrogen fuel cells.
  • GreenH2: Sustainable Integration of green-H2 for chemical and energy applications.

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