Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha

Aisin Takaoka Co., Ltd.

Naotaka Aoyama

Seiji Mizuno

Kuroudo Maeda

Masahiro Mizuno

A fuel cell separator in which the adhesion of a conductive coating formed on the surface of the fuel cell separator is further improved. The fuel cell separator () includes a metal substrate () molded from titanium, and a conductive coating () that exhibits conductivity and is formed on the surface of the metal substrate (), wherein the conductive coating () contains conductive particles, and the average particle size of the conductive particles is not less than 1 nm and not more than 100 nm. The average particle size of the conductive particles is preferably not less than 1 nm and not more than 10 nm, and more preferably not less than 1 nm and not more than 5 nm.

Fuel cell separator and fuel cell

The present invention provides technology for noble metal plating of titanium surfaces. A process such as the following would be carried out when manufacturing a partially gold-plated separator for a fuel cell, for example. First, a titanium component made of titanium or titanium alloy is prepared for use as the fuel cell separator (S). This titanium component is a titanium component whose surfaces are coated with carbon-containing substance. This titanium component is then subjected to a first heat treatment at a prescribed first temperature of between 300 and 700 degrees Celsius (S). Gold plating of the surfaces of the heat-treated titanium component is then carried out (S). In this way it is possible to more easily carry out gold electrolytic plating of titanium surfaces.

Noble metal plating of titanium components

A metal member is manufactured that has a plating layer of precious metal on the surface of a bare metal portion formed of a predetermined metal. First, a surface layer of the bare metal portion is removed. Then, a plating of precious metal is applied to the portion where the surface layer of the bare metal portion was removed. Then, the metal member is heat treated in an inert atmosphere. As a result, a metal member can be manufactured that has less carbide and hydrogen near a boundary surface of the plating layer and the bare metal portion than it would if the removing step and the heat treating step were not performed. With a metal member manufactured in this way, the plating layer does not easily peel away.

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Toyoake, Japan

Naotaka Aoyama