Herein disclosed is a method of treating a component of a fuel cell, which includes the step of exposing the component of the fuel cell to a source of electromagnetic radiation (EMR). The component comprises a first material. The EMR has a wavelength ranging from 10 to 1500 nm and the EMR has a minimum energy density of 0.1 Joule/cm2. Preferably, the treatment process has one or more of the following effects: heating, drying, curing, sintering, annealing, sealing, alloying, evaporating, restructuring, foaming. In an embodiment, the substrate is a component in a fuel cell. Such component comprises an anode, a cathode, an electrolyte, a catalyst, a barrier layer, a interconnect, a reformer, or reformer catalyst. In an embodiment, the substrate is a layer in a fuel cell or a portion of a layer in a fuel cell or a combination of layers in a fuel cell or a combination of partial layers in a fuel cell.

A fuel cell stack includes stacked solid oxide fuel cells, interconnects disposed between the fuel cells, and dielectric layers disposed on the interconnects and including a first glass-containing component and a corrosion barrier material. Optionally, the dielectric layers may cover only a portion of the interconnect riser seal surfaces which are covered by riser seals. Additionally or alternatively, the fuel cell stack may include an electrolyte reinforcement layer on the electrolyte of the solid oxide fuel cells.

A cell stack device includes cells, a metal member containing chromium, a covering layer, and a bonding material. The cells include a first cell and the cells includes respective element portions. The covering layer covers the metal member. The bonding material is positioned between the first cell and the covering layer. The cell stack device satisfies any one of (1) The covering layer includes at least two portions having different thicknesses or different surface roughnesses at different positions. (2) A surface roughness of the covering layer is different from that of the metal member. (3) At least one element selected from the group consisting of Mn, Ti, Ca, and Al is positioned at the interface between the metal member and the covering layer, and the content ratio of the at least one element at the interface is different from that of the metal member or the covering layer.

A cell stack device includes cells, a metal member containing chromium, a covering layer, and a bonding material. The cells include a first cell and the cells includes respective element portions. The covering layer covers the metal member. The bonding material is positioned between the first cell and the covering layer. The cell stack device satisfies any one of (1) The covering layer includes at least two portions having different thicknesses or different surface roughnesses at different positions. (2) A surface roughness of the covering layer is different from that of the metal member. (3) At least one element selected from the group consisting of Mn, Ti, Ca, and Al is positioned at the interface between the metal member and the covering layer, and the content ratio of the at least one element at the interface is different from that of the metal member or the covering layer.

A fuel cell stack fuel plenum includes a base plate including an inlet hole and an outlet hole, a dielectric layer disposed on the base plate and including an inlet hole and an outlet hole, a cover plate disposed on the dielectric layer and including an inlet hole and an outlet hole, a seal plate disposed on the cover plate and including an inlet hole and an outlet hole, and a manifold plate disposed on the seal plate. The manifold plate includes a bottom inlet hole and a bottom outlet hole formed in a bottom surface of the manifold plate, top outlet holes and top inlet holes formed in opposing sides of a top surface of the manifold plate, outlet channels fluidly connecting the top outlet holes to the bottom inlet hole, and inlet channels fluidly connecting the top inlet holes to the bottom outlet hole.

A fuel cell stack fuel plenum includes a base plate including an inlet hole and an outlet hole, a dielectric layer disposed on the base plate and including an inlet hole and an outlet hole, a cover plate disposed on the dielectric layer and including an inlet hole and an outlet hole, a seal plate disposed on the cover plate and including an inlet hole and an outlet hole, and a manifold plate disposed on the seal plate. The manifold plate includes a bottom inlet hole and a bottom outlet hole formed in a bottom surface of the manifold plate, top outlet holes and top inlet holes formed in opposing sides of a top surface of the manifold plate, outlet channels fluidly connecting the top outlet holes to the bottom inlet hole, and inlet channels fluidly connecting the top inlet holes to the bottom outlet hole.

The present invention relates to a method of coating one or more metal components of a fuel cell stack, such as a bipolar plate, an electrode, gaskets etc., the method comprising the steps of providing an uncoated metal component; etching said uncoated metal component; optionally depositing an adhesion layer on the etched uncoated metal component; and depositing a carbon coating on either the adhesion layer or on the etched uncoated metal component, with the adhesion layer and the carbon coating respectively being deposited by means of one of a physical vapor deposition process, an arc ion plating process, a sputtering process, and a Hipims process. The invention further relates to a component of a fuel cell stack and to an apparatus for coating one or more components of a fuel cell stack.

The present invention relates to a method of coating one or more metal components of a fuel cell stack, such as a bipolar plate, an electrode, gaskets etc., the method comprising the steps of providing an uncoated metal component; etching said uncoated metal component; optionally depositing an adhesion layer on the etched uncoated metal component; and depositing a carbon coating on either the adhesion layer or on the etched uncoated metal component, with the adhesion layer and the carbon coating respectively being deposited by means of one of a physical vapor deposition process, an arc ion plating process, a sputtering process, and a Hipims process. The invention further relates to a component of a fuel cell stack and to an apparatus for coating one or more components of a fuel cell stack.

A method of forming a fuel cell system component includes dispensing an ink onto a substrate to form an ink layer, the ink containing a fuel cell system component powder, an aqueous carrier, and an emulsion comprising a water-insoluble binder and a water soluble co-solvent, and solidifying the ink layer to form the fuel cell system component.

A method of forming a fuel cell system component includes dispensing an ink onto a substrate to form an ink layer, the ink containing a fuel cell system component powder, an aqueous carrier, and an emulsion comprising a water-insoluble binder and a water soluble co-solvent, and solidifying the ink layer to form the fuel cell system component.