Electrical contact element for a fuel cell having an ultra-thin conductive layer coating

摘要

An electrically conductive fluid distribution element for use in a fuel cell includes a conductive metal substrate and a layer of conductive non-metallic porous media. The conductive non-metallic porous media has an electrically conductive material deposited along a surface in one or more metallized regions and having an average thickness less than about 40 nm. The metallized regions improve electrical conductance at contact regions between the metal substrate and the fluid distribution media.

主权项

1. An electrically conductive element for use in a fuel cell comprising:
a conductive metal substrate having a major surface with surface oxides formed thereon; a layer of conductive non-metallic porous media having a surface facing said major surface of said metal substrate, wherein said layer defines pores forming flow paths therethrough, wherein each of said pores is a discrete interstice formed within said layer, said pores including internal pores and external pores; and one or more metallized regions on said surface of said layer, each said metallized region containing an electrically conductive material and having an average thickness less than or equal to a depth of two atomic monolayers, wherein said electrically conductive material is deposited on interior surfaces of at least a portion of said internal pores and at least a portion of said external pores in said one or more metallized regions, said electrically conductive material extending into a body of said layer at a depth of about 2 nm to about 10 nm, and wherein said major surface of said conductive metal substrate is arranged in contact with said one or more metallized regions to provide an electrically conductive path from said layer through said one or more metallized regions and said surface oxides to said metal substrate.