Gm Global Technolgoy Operations, Inc.

Michael J Lukitsch

Leonid Charles Lev

Yang T Cheng

Anita Miriam Weiner

Xingcheng Xiao

Gayatri Vyas Dadheech

Mark William Verbrugge

Yang-Tse Cheng

Robert F Paluch

Alan L Browne

Anil Kumar Sachdev

Nilesh D Mankame

Mahmoud H Abd Elhamid

Youssef Morcos Mikhail

Michael P Balogh

Yucong Wang

William R Rodgers

Gayatri Vyas

Zhongyi Liu

Michael K Budinski

Brian K Brady

Jihui Yang

Harald Schlag

Curtis A Wong

Reuben Sarkar

Paula Diane Fasulo

Dimitri A Podorashi

Daniel E Rodak

Thorsten Michler

Neil E Anderson

Sohail A Khan

Beizhi Zhou

A vehicle part or component includes a surface that is configured to contact a fuel containing ethanol. The surface has a layer of non-hydrogenated diamond like carbon (NH-DLC) material disposed on the surface. The layer of NH-DLC has a thickness of from greater than or equal to about 100 nm to less than or equal to about 100 &#x3bc;m. The NH-DLC material has a carbon content of greater than or equal to about 90 atomic % (at. %), a carbon-carbon sphybrid bond content of from greater than or equal to about 60% to less than or equal to about 100%, and a carbon-carbon sphybrid bond content of from greater than or equal to about 0 to less than or equal to about 40%. The NH-DLC material is substantially free of hydrogen atoms. Methods for manufacturing the vehicle part or component are also provided.

Diamond like carbon (DLC) coating for ethanol-blended fuel injector applications

A flow field plate for fuel cell applications includes a metal with a carbon layer disposed over at least a portion of the metal plate. The carbon layer is overcoated with a titanium oxide layer to form a titanium oxide/carbon bilayer. The titanium oxide/carbon bilayer may be activated to increase hydrophilicity. The flow field plate is included in a fuel cell with a minimal increase in contact resistance. Methods for forming the flow field plates are also provided.

Conductive and hydrophilic bipolar plate coatings and method of making the same

An example of the coated tool disclosed herein includes a substrate, a metal layer established on the substrate, a continuous metal carbide layer established on the metal layer, and a smooth, continuous, terminated diamond like carbon (DLC) layer established on the metal carbide layer. The DLC layer is to prevent metal, from a workpiece upon which the tool is to act, from adhering to the tool.

Coated tool and methods of making and using the coated tool

A cutting tool for machining metal workpieces using polycrystalline diamond cutting surfaces with interspersed guide surfaces and chip evacuation surfaces. When machining holes in cast aluminum alloy workpieces it is found that aluminum machining chips adhere to guide surfaces and chip evacuation surfaces and mar the machined surface. It is found that when the guide and chip evacuation surfaces are coated with a diamond-like carbon material, aluminum chips do not mar the machined surfaces.

Polycrystalline diamond cutting tool with coated body

One embodiment of the invention includes an assembly of metal oxide comprising valve metal oxide nanotubes.

Nanotube assembly, bipolar plate and process of making the same

A flow field plate for fuel cell applications includes a metal with a carbon layer disposed over at least a portion of the metal plate. The carbon layer is overcoated with a silicon oxide layer to form a silicon oxide/carbon bilayer. The silicon oxide/carbon bilayer may be activated to increase hydrophilicity. The flow field plate is included in a fuel cell with a minimal increase in contact resistance. Methods for forming the flow field plates are also provided.

Carbon based bipolar plate coatings for effective water management

A method of creating adherent surface coatings on carbide cutting tools or other workpiece substrates through the development of polycrystalline diamond coatings or composite coatings comprising a refractory metal carbide and polycrystalline diamond is described. The coating is deposited through a sequenced chemical vapor deposition process, first using a specified gas mixture of hydrogen and a refractory metal halide to deposit a base layer of a refractory metal carbide. This step is followed by a second step in which polycrystalline diamond is deposited from a gas mixture comprising a hydrocarbon and hydrogen. Co-deposition of refractory metal carbide and diamond in the second step to create a toughened diamond coating is also contemplated.

High hardness nanocomposite coatings on cemented carbide

The performance and durability of static and dynamic seals for hydrogen storage and supply systems has been improved by utilizing a spring-energized and plastic coated radial seal in combination with at least a mating surface that has been treated by one of a variety of procedures. These procedures include applying to the mating surface a low-friction, hard, and hydrogen impervious coating, chemically polishing the mating surface, and electrochemically polishing the mating surface. Each of these procedures significantly reduces, on a microscopic scale, the surface roughness of the mating surface. The seal can thus form a tighter and more gas-tight seal with the smoother mating surface so as to decrease the loss of hydrogen gas across the seal. The smoother mating surface can also improve seal life by reducing seal surface wear.

Seal performance for hydrogen storage and supply systems

A layered coating is disclosed herein. The layered coating includes a chromium layer, an intermediate layer of chromium and nitrogen established on the chromium layer, and an outer layer of chromium and nitrogen established on the intermediate layer. The intermediate layer has a gradually changing composition, wherein the chromium concentration decreases from an area of the intermediate layer adjacent the chromium layer towards a surface of the layered coating.

Layered coating and method for forming the same

A composite electrolyte membrane for a fuel cell is disclosed. The membrane is formed of a polymer having layers of a clay-based cation exchange material. The substrate comprises an electrode formed from a solution that has an exfoliated, inorganic, sodium-based cation exchange material, an ionically conductive polymer-based material, and a solvent-dispersant.

Fuel cell assembly

Films of magnesium mixed with titanium are produced by non-equilibrium alloying processes such as electron beam evaporation of magnesium and titanium ingots in a very low pressure chamber. Such magnesium-titanium films form as single phase solid solutions. Titanium is inherently resistant to corrosion and its admixture with magnesium in solid solution provides a new composition that is less subject to intra-film galvanic corrosion. The magnesium-titanium films also provide relatively hard and strong coatings.

Magnesium-titanium solid solution alloys

A fixture device generally includes a base member, a reconfigurable pad comprising a shape memory material configured to selectively conform to a surface contour of a workpiece, and a thermoelectric unit in operative communication with the shape memory material of the reconfigurable pad. A process for operating a fixture device includes passing a current in a first direction through a thermoelectric unit in operative communication with a reconfigurable pad in an amount effective to heat a shape memory material therein to or above a shape setting temperature, contacting a surface of a workpiece with the reconfigurable pad, cooling the shape memory material below the shape setting temperature, and fixturing the workpiece with the fixture device.

Reconfigurable fixture device and methods of use

A separator assembly for use in a stack of electrochemical cells is provided, having a first conductive metallic substrate with a first surface and a second conductive metallic substrate with a second surface, wherein each of the first and second surfaces are overlaid with an ultra-thin electrically conductive metal coating. The first and second surfaces form electrically conductive paths at regions where the metal coating of the first and second layer contact one another. The contact of the surfaces overlaid with metal coating is sufficient to join the first and second substrates to one another. Preferred metal coatings comprise gold (Au). Methods of making such separator assemblies are also provided.

Low contact resistance bonding method for bipolar plates in a pem fuel cell

A belt for a continuously variable transmission (CVT) includes at least one continuous band supported against a contact face in a slot formed in each of a plurality of transverse elements of the CVT. The band has a surface positioned against the contact face. This surface is coated with chromium nitride by physical vapor deposition to reduce wear.

CVT belt with chromium nitride coating

A diamond coated cutting tool is disclosed having a either steel or cemented carbide substrate. The interior layer disposed between the diamond coating and the substrate inhibits the diffusion of carbon and other species.

Growing community of inventors

Marysville, MI, United States of America

Michael J Lukitsch