2021 Volume 70 Issue 10 Pages 318-322
Type 304 stainless steel was tested as a bipolar plate material in a PEFC environment through single cell operation. The cell failed after 430 h operation and it was inspected through surface observation of the bipolar plates by SEM and XPS together with contamination analysis of the gas diffusion layer （GDL） which was in contact with the bipolar plate. Secondary electron images and XPS spectra showed that iron oxides were deposited on the bipolar plate surface at the cathode side. On the other hand, needle like crystals were formed on the anode side. The EPMA analysis of the GDL revealed that iron was the main contaminant at cathode side while every element （Cr, Fe, Ni） was detected at anode side. The results suggested that the stainless steel was in active state at anode side. The GDL at cathode side was contaminated only with iron（III） probably because generated water washed away other ions with higher solubility.
