A lamellar structure graphite foil is used as a material for a separator for a fuel cell, and a hydrophobic layer is formed by impregnation on flow-field channels of the graphite foil. Such a separator is manufactured by forming the flow field channel by etching the graphite foil formed with the mask pattern thereon and forming a hydrophobic layer by impregnation. According to such a separator, performance of a fuel cell stack is enhanced and the manufacturing process of a separator is simplified.

A separator for a fuel cell, includes: a metal plate; a first electro-conductive resin layer formed on a first surface side of the metal plate; a second electro-conductive resin layer formed on a second surface side of the metal plate opposite to the first surface side; and a flow channel in which the metal plate and the first and second electro-conductive resin layers have a wavy shape in cross section.

A separator for a fuel cell, includes: a metal plate; a first electro-conductive resin layer formed on a first surface side of the metal plate; a second electro-conductive resin layer formed on a second surface side of the metal plate opposite to the first surface side; and a flow channel in which the metal plate and the first and second electro-conductive resin layers have a wavy shape in cross section.

A storage module of distributed flow battery is provided. An electrochemical reaction is processed with the positive and negative electrolytes to produce and/or discharge direct current and further output the positive and negative electrolytes after the reaction. The module comprises two end plates; two frames disposed between the two end plates; two current collectors disposed between the two frames; two complex cast polar plates disposed between the two current collectors; two electrodes disposed between the two complex cast polar plates; a membrane disposed between the two electrodes; and three gaskets. Therein, two of the gaskets are set to sandwich and enclose one of the two complex cast polar plates; and the other one of the gaskets is set between the other one of the two complex cast polar plates and an adjacent one of the current collectors.

A titanium material includes a base material made of pure titanium or a titanium alloy; and a carbon layer covering a surface of the base material. The carbon layer includes non-graphitizable carbon, and has an R value (I.sub.1350/I.sub.1590) of 2.0 or more and 3.5 or less in the Raman spectroscopy using laser having a wavelength of 532 nm. Where I.sub.1350 is peak intensity at a wave number of around 1.3510.sup.5 m.sup.1 in a Raman spectrum, and I.sub.1590 is peak intensity at a wave number of around 1.5910.sup.5 m.sup.1 in a Raman spectrum. According to this titanium material, it is possible to realize low contact resistance by the carbon layer. Moreover, this titanium material is not susceptible to surface oxidation and capable of maintaining low contact resistance even when exposed to noble potential.

A titanium material includes a base material made of pure titanium or a titanium alloy; and a carbon layer covering a surface of the base material. The carbon layer includes non-graphitizable carbon, and has an R value (I.sub.1350/I.sub.1590) of 2.0 or more and 3.5 or less in the Raman spectroscopy using laser having a wavelength of 532 nm. Where I.sub.1350 is peak intensity at a wave number of around 1.3510.sup.5 m.sup.1 in a Raman spectrum, and I.sub.1590 is peak intensity at a wave number of around 1.5910.sup.5 m.sup.1 in a Raman spectrum. According to this titanium material, it is possible to realize low contact resistance by the carbon layer. Moreover, this titanium material is not susceptible to surface oxidation and capable of maintaining low contact resistance even when exposed to noble potential.

Provided are a method for producing a fuel cell separator, and a separator material that can prevent carbon in a carbon layer formed on the surface of a metal substrate from being detached during press forming, and thus can suppress failures in the press forming. The method is a method for producing a fuel cell separator having formed thereon gas flow channels through which fuel gas or oxidant gas to be supplied to a fuel cell stack flows, the method including preparing a plate-shaped separator material including a titanium substrate, a carbon layer covering the titanium substrate, and a resin layer covering the carbon layer; press-forming the prepared separator material into the shape of the separator such that the separator has the gas flow channels formed thereon; and removing the resin layer from the press-formed separator.

Provided are a method for producing a fuel cell separator, and a separator material that can prevent carbon in a carbon layer formed on the surface of a metal substrate from being detached during press forming, and thus can suppress failures in the press forming. The method is a method for producing a fuel cell separator having formed thereon gas flow channels through which fuel gas or oxidant gas to be supplied to a fuel cell stack flows, the method including preparing a plate-shaped separator material including a titanium substrate, a carbon layer covering the titanium substrate, and a resin layer covering the carbon layer; press-forming the prepared separator material into the shape of the separator such that the separator has the gas flow channels formed thereon; and removing the resin layer from the press-formed separator.

An inspection system of a member for a fuel cell separator including a titanium or titanium alloy base material and a coating layer including carbon includes a heater configured to heat the member for a fuel cell separator, a temperature detector configured to detect a temperature of the member for a fuel cell separator after heated by the heater, and a determination unit configured to determine a position of a high-temperature place at which a degree of a temperature increase is greater than a previously-set standard in the member for a fuel cell separator using the temperature detected by the temperature detector.

A bipolar plate for a PEM hydrogen fuel cell is coated with a carbon-containing coating, the carbon-containing coating comprising in order: a) a titanium seed layer; b) a titanium nitride interfacial layer; and c) a a-C top layer, and wherein the bipolar plate is formed from stainless steel. Methods for making such coated plates are described. The a-C has a density of greater than 2.0 g/cm3, a molar hydrogen content of 5% or less, an sp2 carbon content of 40% to 80% and an sp3 carbon content of 20% to 60%. The coated plates possess good electrical conductivity and are resistant to corrosion.