A metal sheet for separators of polymer electrolyte fuel cells comprises: a substrate made of metal; and a surface-coating layer with which a surface of the substrate is coated, with a strike layer in between, wherein a coating ratio of the strike layer on the substrate is 2% to 70%, the strike layer is distributed in a form of islands, and a maximum diameter of the islands of the strike layer as coating portions is 1.00 m or less and is not greater than a thickness of the surface-coating layer.

A method of forming diffusion barrier layer includes providing an interconnect for a fuel cell stack, forming a glass barrier precursor layer over a Mn and/or Co containing electrically conductive contact layer on the interconnect, and heating the barrier precursor layer to precipitate crystals in the barrier precursor layer to convert the barrier precursor layer to a glass ceramic barrier layer.

A method of forming diffusion barrier layer includes providing an interconnect for a fuel cell stack, forming a glass barrier precursor layer over a Mn and/or Co containing electrically conductive contact layer on the interconnect, and heating the barrier precursor layer to precipitate crystals in the barrier precursor layer to convert the barrier precursor layer to a glass ceramic barrier layer.

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.

An interconnector for a solid oxide electrochemical cell stack of at least one embodiment includes a metal base that contains an iron-base alloy containing chromium, a protective film provided on a surface of the metal base, and an interlayer provided between the metal base and the protective film arranged to relieve stress.

An alloy member includes a base member that includes a recess in a surface of the base member and is constituted by an alloy material containing chromium, an anchor portion is disposed in the recess and contains an oxide containing manganese and a covering layer is connected to the anchor portion and contains a low-equilibrium oxygen pressure element whose equilibrium oxygen pressure is lower than that of chromium.

Redox flow devices are described including a positive electrode current collector, a negative electrode current collector, and an ion-permeable membrane separating said positive and negative current collectors, positioned and arranged to define a positive electroactive zone and a negative electroactive zone; wherein at least one of said positive and negative electroactive zone comprises a flowable semi-solid composition comprising ion storage compound particles capable of taking up or releasing said ions during operation of the cell, and wherein the ion storage compound particles have a polydisperse size distribution in which the finest particles present in at least 5 vol % of the total volume, is at least a factor of 5 smaller than the largest particles present in at least 5 vol % of the total volume.

Redox flow devices are described including a positive electrode current collector, a negative electrode current collector, and an ion-permeable membrane separating said positive and negative current collectors, positioned and arranged to define a positive electroactive zone and a negative electroactive zone; wherein at least one of said positive and negative electroactive zone comprises a flowable semi-solid composition comprising ion storage compound particles capable of taking up or releasing said ions during operation of the cell, and wherein the ion storage compound particles have a polydisperse size distribution in which the finest particles present in at least 5 vol % of the total volume, is at least a factor of 5 smaller than the largest particles present in at least 5 vol % of the total volume.

A titanium product for a separator of a proton exchange membrane fuel cell according to the present invention includes: a base material that consists of commercially pure titanium; a first oxide layer that is formed in a surface layer of the titanium product, consists of TiO.sub.2 of a rutile crystallinity, and has a thickness of 0.1 to 1.5 nm; and a second oxide layer that is formed between the base material and the first oxide layer, consists of TiO.sub.x (1<x<2), and has a thickness of 3 to 20 nm. This titanium product is suitable to be used as a separator of a proton exchange membrane fuel cell that has a high corrosion resistance in an environment in a fuel cell, is capable of keeping a low contact resistance with an electrode consisting of carbon fiber and the like, and is inexpensive.

A titanium product for a separator of a proton exchange membrane fuel cell according to the present invention includes: a base material that consists of commercially pure titanium; a first oxide layer that is formed in a surface layer of the titanium product, consists of TiO.sub.2 of a rutile crystallinity, and has a thickness of 0.1 to 1.5 nm; and a second oxide layer that is formed between the base material and the first oxide layer, consists of TiO.sub.x (1<x<2), and has a thickness of 3 to 20 nm. This titanium product is suitable to be used as a separator of a proton exchange membrane fuel cell that has a high corrosion resistance in an environment in a fuel cell, is capable of keeping a low contact resistance with an electrode consisting of carbon fiber and the like, and is inexpensive.