Stable ultralyophobic coating for PEMFC bipolar plate water management

摘要

An electrode plate is disclosed. The electrode plate includes a plate having an active area, a feed region in fluid communication with the active region, and a tunnel region in fluid communication with the feed region and a manifold region, an ultralyophobic coating on one or more of at least a portion of the tunnel region, at least a portion of the feed region, and an interface between the tunnel region and the manifold region. Fuel cells using the electrode plate and methods of making electrode plates are also described.

主权项

1. An electrode plate comprising:
a plate having an active region, a feed region in fluid communication with the active region, and a tunnel region in fluid communication with the feed region and a manifold region, wherein one or more of at least a portion of the tunnel region, at least a portion of the feed region, and an interface between the tunnel region and the manifold region comprises an ultralyophobicity-retaining ultralyophobic surface formed by adhering an ultralyophobic coating under conditions resulting in adherence of a solvent-free ultralyophobic coating, the ultralyophobic surface having a static water contact angle of about 90° to about 120° and a contact angle hysteresis of less than about 20°, wherein the ultralyophobic coating comprises a copolymer of perfluoro(2,2-dimethyl-1,3-dioxole) and tetrafluoroethylene and wherein the conditions resulting in adherence of a solvent-free ultralyophobic coating comprise drying the coating at a temperature greater than both a solvent boiling point and a glass transition temperature (Tg) of a polymer component of the ultralyophobic coating, cleaning by quiescent soaking in alkaline solution, and a drying temperature of at least 170° C.