A component for an electrochemical device, the component including: a metallic substrate; and a plurality of particles bonded to a surface of the substrate by a metallurgical bond, wherein the particles include a metal, carbon, or a combination thereof, wherein the metallurgical bond is between the particles and the substrate, wherein a total projected area of the metallurgical bond is less than 90% of a total projected area of the substrate, and wherein the metallurgical bond has a composition which is a combination of a composition of the metallic substrate and a composition of the particle, a reaction product of the metallic substrate and the particle, or a combination thereof.

A surface treatment method of a fuel cell separator capable of suppressing temperature unevenness of the fuel cell separator is provided. In the surface treatment method, an antimony-doped tin oxide (ATO) film is formed on a surface of a fuel cell separator (W1) used for a fuel cell. The fuel cell separator (W1) is heated using a high-frequency induction heating method (S1). By spraying solution (L1) including antimony and tin onto the fuel cell separator (W1), the ATO film is caused to be formed on the surface of the fuel cell separator (W1) (S2).

Fuel cell alloy bipolar plates. The alloys may be used as a coating or bulk material. The alloys and metallic glasses may be particularly suitable for proton-exchange membrane fuel cells because of they may exhibit reduced weights and/or better corrosion resistance. The alloys may include any of the following Al.sub.xCu.sub.yTi.sub.z, Al.sub.xFe.sub.yNi.sub.z, Al.sub.xMn.sub.yNi.sub.z, Al.sub.xNi.sub.yTi.sub.z, Cu.sub.xFe.sub.yTi.sub.z, Cu.sub.xNi.sub.yTi.sub.z, Al.sub.xFe.sub.ySi.sub.z, Al.sub.xMn.sub.ySi.sub.z, Al.sub.xNi.sub.ySi.sub.z, Ni.sub.xSi.sub.yTi.sub.z, and C.sub.xFe.sub.ySi.sub.z. The alloys or metallic glass may be doped with various dopants to improve glass forming ability, mechanical strength, ductility, electrical or thermal conductivities, hydrophobicity, and/or corrosion resistance.

Layers for a bipolar plates are disclosed, as well as bipolar plates including the layers and fuel cells and/or electrolyzers including the bipolar plates. The layer may include a homogeneous or heterogeneous solid metallic solution or compound which either contains a first chemical element from the group of the noble metals in the form of iridium; or contains a first chemical element from the group of the noble metals in the form of iridium and a second chemical element from the group of the noble metals in the form of ruthenium. The layer may also include at least one further nonmetallic chemical element from the group consisting of nitrogen, carbon, boron, fluorine, and hydrogen.

Layers for a bipolar plates are disclosed, as well as bipolar plates including the layers and fuel cells and/or electrolyzers including the bipolar plates. The layer may include a homogeneous or heterogeneous solid metallic solution or compound which either contains a first chemical element from the group of the noble metals in the form of iridium; or contains a first chemical element from the group of the noble metals in the form of iridium and a second chemical element from the group of the noble metals in the form of ruthenium. The layer may also include at least one further nonmetallic chemical element from the group consisting of nitrogen, carbon, boron, fluorine, and hydrogen.

The cell according to the present disclosure has a support body having a length direction and a pair of main surfaces, and an element part in which a first electrode, a solid electrolyte layer having an oxide containing a rare earth element oxide as a main component, and a second electrode are stacked, in that order, on one of the main surfaces of the support body. The cell also has a first layer provided on the other main surface of one end part of the support body in the length direction, which layer contains a different amount of a rare earth element oxide that is the same oxide as the main component of the solid electrolyte layer, and is stronger than the solid electrolyte layer. A second layer is provided between the first layer and the support body, and the second layer has a higher content of a component that is the same as the component contained in the support body than the first layer, and also contains the same component as the first layer.

The cell according to the present disclosure has a support body having a length direction and a pair of main surfaces, and an element part in which a first electrode, a solid electrolyte layer having an oxide containing a rare earth element oxide as a main component, and a second electrode are stacked, in that order, on one of the main surfaces of the support body. The cell also has a first layer provided on the other main surface of one end part of the support body in the length direction, which layer contains a different amount of a rare earth element oxide that is the same oxide as the main component of the solid electrolyte layer, and is stronger than the solid electrolyte layer. A second layer is provided between the first layer and the support body, and the second layer has a higher content of a component that is the same as the component contained in the support body than the first layer, and also contains the same component as the first layer.

Methods and systems are provided for manufacturing a membrane separator for a redox flow battery. In one example, the membrane separator is fabricate by a calendering process. The membrane separator may be configured with a polymer network to provide selectivity for ion transport across the membrane separator. The membrane separator may be further adapted with an integrated spacer in contact with a negative electrolyte.

Methods and systems are provided for manufacturing a membrane separator for a redox flow battery. In one example, the membrane separator is fabricate by a calendering process. The membrane separator may be configured with a polymer network to provide selectivity for ion transport across the membrane separator. The membrane separator may be further adapted with an integrated spacer in contact with a negative electrolyte.

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.