Electrochemical cell

Abstract

An electrochemical cell has at least one plate element which can be cooled by a liquid coolant, such as water. The plate element has a surface that can be wetted for the purpose of cooling with the coolant. The surface of the plate element in the electrochemical cell is configured such that a contact angle between the surface and the liquid coolant is less than 90°. In the method for producing the electrochemical cell an additional method step is carried out which influences the wettable surfaces of plate elements for cooling with coolant and by which a contact angle between the surface and the coolant is decreased.

Claims

1. An electrochemical cell, comprising: at least two plate elements to be cooled by a liquid coolant, said plate elements being disposed to form reactant channels therebetween and having coolant channels for conducting the coolant, each said coolant channel of said plate elements having a surface to be wetted by the coolant for the purpose of cooling; said surface to be wetted by the coolant having a hydrophilic coating being an alloy having at least two alloy components, said at least two alloy components including a noble metal alloy component and at least one ignoble metal alloy component, and said hydrophilic coating being a layer permeated by oxides; and said surface defining a contact angle between said surface and the coolant wetting said surface of less than 90°.

2. The electrochemical cell according to claim 1, wherein said contact angle is less than 60° and the liquid coolant is deionized water.

3. The electrochemical cell according to claim 1, wherein said noble metal alloy component is gold and said ignoble metal alloy component is aluminum or titanium.

4. The electrochemical cell according to claim 1, wherein said plate element includes at least one noble metal layer to which said hydrophilic coating is applied.

5. The electrochemical cell according to claim 4, wherein said at least one noble metal layer is a gold layer.

6. The electrochemical cell according to claim 1, wherein said hydrophilic coating is a surface function coating containing at least one hydrophilic fraction that equips said surface of said plate element with polar groups for an interaction with the coolant.

7. The electrochemical cell according to claim 6, wherein said polar groups are OH groups or CO groups or SiO groups.

8. The electrochemical cell according to claim 6, wherein said surface function coating comprises molecules having an anchor group based on a material selected from the group consisting of phosphonic acid, sulfonic acid, and thiol.

9. A method of producing an electrochemical cell having a plurality of plate elements to be cooled by a liquid coolant, each of the plate elements having a surface to be wetted by the coolant for cooling the respective plate element, the method comprising: producing the plate elements with the surface to be wetted having a plurality of planar surfaces; alternatingly layering the plate elements with membrane units and thereby forming a layered structure of the electrochemical cell having reactant channels and coolant channels in the plate elements formed by the surfaces to be wetted; and influencing the surfaces of the plate elements to be wetted for cooling purposes by forming a hydrophilic coating being an alloy with at least two alloy components, the at least two alloy components including a noble metal alloy component and at least one ignoble metal alloy component, and the hydrophilic coating being a layer permeated by oxides on the surfaces of the coolant channels and reducing a contact angle between the surfaces and the coolant.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein the influencing step comprises a surface finishing process selected from the group consisting of mechanical, electrical, and chemical surface finishing processes.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein the influencing step comprises at least one process selected from the group consisting of ion etching (“back-sputtering”), profiling, sandblasting, emerizing, calendaring, brushing, and structure stamping.

12. The method according to claim 9, which comprises applying the hydrophilic coating to metal sheets forming the plate elements, or providing plate elements coated with a noble metal layer and applying an alloy layer to the noble metal layer on the plate elements.

13. The method according to claim 9, wherein the influencing step comprises coating the plate elements with a surface function coating having at least one hydrophilic fraction that equips the surface of the plate element with polar groups for an interaction with a coolant.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein the polar groups are selected from the group consisting of OH groups, CO groups, and SiO groups.

15. The electrochemical cell according to claim 1, wherein said surface of said plate element to be wetted by the coolant is formed with a plurality of planar surfaces.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING

(1) FIG. 1 shows a detail of a PEM fuel cell according to an exemplary embodiment;

(2) FIG. 2 shows a detail of a plate element of a PEM fuel cell with noble metal coating and alloy layer according to an exemplary embodiment;

(3) FIG. 3 shows a workflow of method steps in the production of a PEM fuel cell according to an exemplary embodiment;

(4) FIG. 4 shows a production of a PEM fuel cell having resist-coated plate elements with reduced contact angle according to an exemplary embodiment; and

(5) FIG. 5 shows a detail of a plate element of a PEM fuel cell according to an exemplary embodiment.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(6) FIGS. 1 and 5 each show a detail of a structure 6 of a PEM fuel cell 1 (abbreviated in the following to just fuel cell or cell).

(7) In said fuel cell 1, hydrogen (H2) and oxygen (O2) (fuel gases) react at an electrolyte, giving off heat in the process, to produce electrical energy and product water, which—together with condensed-out humidification water—is discharged from the fuel cell 1.

(8) As FIGS. 1 and 5 shows, the—layered—structure 6 of the cell 1 provides membranes 11 which are in each case sandwiched between a GDL 19 on either side (membrane electrode units 20). Electrodes are disposed therebetween in each case. The electrode on the hydrogen side is called the anode; the electrode on the oxygen side is called the cathode.

(9) In addition, as FIGS. 1 and 5 show, the layered structure 6 of the cell 1 provides plate elements or bipolar plates 2 arranged between the membrane electrode units 20. In this instance these are in each case embodied as thin, coated and formed (double) metal sheets 12.

(10) The heat resulting from the reaction of hydrogen (H2) and oxygen (O2) in the fuel cell 1 requires the fuel cell 1 to be efficiently cooled in order to prevent damage to the fuel cell 1, in particular damage to an active membrane 11 of the fuel cell 1.

(11) In order to cool the fuel cell 1, the latter is supplied or, as the case may be, flushed with cooling liquid 5, in this case deionized water, as a result of which the heat is dissipated—by way of the cooling liquid 5—from the fuel cell 1.

(12) For that purpose—as also for supplying the cell 1 with the fuel gases hydrogen and oxygen—the bipolar plate provides a stud or channel structure or a stud or channel structure is stamped into the metal sheets 12 forming the bipolar plate 2.

(13) As a result, as FIGS. 1 and 5 show, cooling channels 17 (cooling unit 4) are formed between the metal sheets 12 forming a bipolar plate 2, as also fuel gas channels 16 are produced on their “outwardly oriented” surfaces. The metal sheets 12 provide a gold coating 7 on said “outwardly oriented” surface.

(14) The cell 1 is supplied with the cooling liquid 5 via the coolant channels 17; the cell 1 is supplied with the fuel gases via the fuel gas channels 16.

(15) In addition, the “inner” metal sheet surfaces 3 of a bipolar plate 2 or the metal sheet surfaces 3 in each case delimiting a cooling channel 17 are embodied in such a way that a contact angle of approximately 60° is realized there between the respective surface 3 and the cooling liquid 5, as a result of which the fuel cell 1 is able to ensure efficient cooling.

(16) This is based on the consideration that when the wettability of the surfaces 3 that are provided for cooling of the bipolar plate 2 or of the metal sheets 12—realized by means a contact angle reduced to 60°—it is made easier for the cooling liquid 5 to dislodge gas bubbles adhering to the surface 3 and transport these away out of the cell.

(17) On account of the small contact angle the gas bubbles 18 in the cooling liquid 5 do not (any longer) adhere to the metal sheet surface 3, thus remain in a state of suspension in the cooling liquid 5 and can be discharged from the cell 5 by means of the (cooling liquid) flow 5 in the cooling channel 17.

(18) As a result, the process heat of the cell 1 can be dissipated without interruption or practically without interruption from the bipolar plate 2 into the cooling liquid 5. Efficient and easily achievable cooling of the cell 1 is ensured.

(19) FIG. 2 shows a detail section of a metal sheet surface 3, wetted by the cooling liquid 5, of one of the metal sheets 12 of the double sheet 12 forming the bipolar plate 2, thereby illustrating how the realization of the contact angle reduced here or, as the case may be, of the contact angle of approx. 60° is achieved.

(20) Corresponding measurement methods for measuring a contact angle, for example a plate method according to Neumann, a Wilhelmy plate method or a drop method, are known—and can be applied—for checking purposes—accordingly.

(21) As FIG. 2 shows, the thin metal sheet 12 is provided here with a thin gold coating 7—or alternatively thereto with several, e.g. three or four, thin gold layers 7.

(22) Furthermore, the metal sheet 12 is provided with an additional reactive layer 8 made from a hybrid alloy. Said hybrid alloy possesses a noble component, in this case gold (as also the “primary coating”), as well as an ignoble component, in this case aluminum.

(23) The noble component guarantees good electrical contact and also ensures adequate adhesion of the alloy layer 8 to the gold coating 7.

(24) After abreacting with atmospheric oxygen, the ignoble component forms an oxidic, polar and consequently hydrophilic fraction which exerts the influence on the wetting behavior (contact angle reduction).

(25) The mass fraction ratio of the noble component to the ignoble alloy component forming the oxidic passive layer is chosen here as 95:5. The alloy layer is applied to a thickness of 0.1 μm by sputtering, a gold/aluminum (AU/AL) alloy target being used.

(26) Instead of the alloy coating or alloy layer 8 on the gold layer 7, it is also possible as an alternative thereto to provide a direct alloy coating 8 having said alloy directly on the thin metal sheet 12 (not shown). In this case, too, said direct or only alloy layer 8 can be applied by sputtering.

(27) In a further alternative the ignoble component can also be applied—on its own—as a thin layer 10 to the gold layer 7. Here also, a sputter method can be used for that purpose. This layer, too, can, after abreacting with atmospheric oxygen, form an oxidic, polar and consequently hydrophilic fraction which exerts the influence on the wetting behavior (contact angle reduction).

(28) The contact angle reduction—and thereby resulting increased wettability of the metal sheet surface 3 by means of the cooling liquid 5—can also be achieved by mechanical finishing of the metal sheets 12 or mechanical surface treatment.

(29) A coarsening or increased roughening of the metal sheet surface 3 is achieved by means of said mechanical surface treatment 100, thereby producing the increased wettability of the surface 3.

(30) FIG. 3 illustrates—with reference to a previously conventional method workflow for producing a fuel cell 1—such an additional mechanical surface treatment 100—which can be provided at different times during the previously conventional method workflow —, by way of illustration emerizing or calendering, which increases the wettability of the surface 3 or reduces the contact angle of the surface 3.

(31) As FIG. 3 shows, during the production of the fuel cell 1—according to the previous approach—the metal sheets are produced first 200. Toward that end, sheet metal “blanks” are produced and are cut accordingly 210.

(32) Next, the metal sheets 12 are formed 220, with structures such as studs being incorporated 220 into the metal sheets 12 by means of a stamping process.

(33) The metal sheets 12 are subsequently coated with the gold coating 7.

(34) Thereafter, the metal sheets 12 are layered 300, with two metal sheets 12 in each case being stacked to form a double sheet, i.e. to form the bipolar plate 2.

(35) When the metal sheets 12 forming the bipolar plate 2 are fixed, cooling channels 17 are embodied between the opposite “inner” surfaces 3 of said metal sheets 12, the surfaces 3 thereof being in contact with the cooling liquid flowing through 320 the cooling channels 17 (cooling unit 4).

(36) In a further layering step, the membrane electrode units 20 are arranged between the bipolar plates 2, the layered structure 6 of the cell 1 being completed 300.

(37) As FIG. 3 further shows, the mechanical surface treatment 100 or the emerizing or calendering is provided as an additional method step 100—at different times—during the production of the fuel cell 1.

(38) As FIG. 3 shows, the mechanical surface treatment 100 or the emerizing or calendering is performed already during the sheet metal blank production step 210.

(39) FIG. 3 also illustrates that it is possible to perform the emerizing or calendering 100 also after the sheet metal blank production step 210 and before forming 220 of the metal sheets 12, or during the forming 220 of the metal sheets 12, or after the forming 220 of the metal sheets 12 and before coating 230 of the metal sheets 12, or after the coating 230 of the metal sheets 12 and before the layering 310.

(40) The coarsening or increased roughening of the surface 3 is achieved by means of said mechanical surface treatment 100, thereby producing the increased wettability of the surface 3—and consequently the improved heat dissipation.

(41) FIG. 4 illustrates a further production of the fuel cell with reduced contact angle or, as the case may be, contact angle of approx. 60°.

(42) According to FIG. 4, it is provided to coat the surface of the gold-coated metal sheets 12 with a few nm thin function layer 9, a resist 9, which has adequate electrical conductivity and equips the surface 3 of the metal sheets 12 with polar groups.

(43) For this purpose said resist 9 has molecules having a phosphonic- or sulfonic-acid-based anchor group—or else a thiol-based anchor group. Polar groups which in this case have migrated away from the gold surface can be realized for example by means of OH groups, CO groups or SiO groups. This makes the surface 3 of the metal sheets 12 more hydrophilic, thus increasing the wetting capability and heat dissipation.

(44) The application 500 of the resist layer 9 is performed, as FIG. 4 also shows, in that a solvent containing the molecules, for example with 0.1-2 percent by weight fraction of the molecules in the solvent, is produced 510.

(45) The gold surface to be coated is dipped into the aqueous solution and left therein for approx. 1 hour, if necessary under increased temperature, 520.

(46) The substrate is subsequently removed and rinsed with water 530.

(47) Although the invention has been illustrated and described in greater detail on the basis of the preferred exemplary embodiments, it is not limited by the disclosed examples and other variations can be derived herefrom by the person skilled in the art without leaving the scope of protection of the invention.