Nisshin Steel Co., Ltd.

Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha

Tsutomu Miyano

Takeshi Shimizu

Keiji Izumi

Shinichi Kamoshida

Yoshikazu Morita

Toshiki Kingetsu

Yuichi Yagami

Tsuyoshi Takahashi

Kouta Kodama

Yoshiaki Kajikawa

A stainless steel sheet useful as a separator for a low-temperature fuel cell has the surface state that a lot of fine projections (p) stand close together around many fine pits (d) formed over a whole surface. The surface state is realized by alternating electrolytic etching in a ferric chloride solution. When the stainless steel separator is built in a fuel cell, contact resistance between the separator and a graphite electrode is kept at a lower level even in a corrosive atmosphere. Consequently, the fuel cell can be driven with high power-generating efficiency over a long term even under severely corrosive conditions without generation of massive Joule heat.

Separator for low-temperature type fuel cell and production method therefor

A stainless steel separator, which is good of corrosion-resistance and low of contact-resistance, is proposed for a fuel cell. Its surface faced to a fuel electrode is pickled, which the other surface faced to an oxidizing electrode is roughened by electrolytic etching or the like. The roughening treatment may be performed before or after pickling and passivation. The roughened surface of the stainless steel separator without pickling or passivation may be faced to the oxidizing electrode.

Stainless steel separator for low-temperature fuel cell

Growing community of inventors

Sakai, Japan

Tsutomu Miyano