Invited Speaker

Prof. Ruiliang Liu

Harbin Engineering University

E-mail: liuruiliang@hrbeu.edu.cn

Title：Microstructure and Performance of Low Temperature Plasma Nitrided AISI 304 Stainless Steel for Bipolar Plate of PEMFC

Profile：

Dr. Ruiliang Liu is a professor at College of Materials Science and Chemical Engineering, Harbin Engineering University, China. He received his MS degree and a Ph.D. degree at the Harbin Institute of Technology in 2006 and 2010. His research interests including the functional design and preparation of coating as well as their surface modification of material. He has published more than 70 peer-reviewed papers, more than 10 invited talks at conferences, and 15 patents for invention are applied and authorized. He is the director of China Heat Treatment Industry Association and member of Heat Treatment Society of China. He is also the reviewers of many scientific journals, including Surface & Coatings Technology, Applied Surface Science, Materials and Design, Journal of Rare Earths, and so on.

Abstract：

Effects temperature on low temperature plasma nitrided (LTPNed) AISI 304 stainless steel for bipolar plates (BPPs) of proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) were studied systematically. After low-temperature plasma nitriding, the modified layer on the surface of the sample consists mainly of nitrogen-expanded austenite phase (γN) with a small amount of nitrides, with the increase of temperature, the content of nitrogen element in the γN phase is increased. Compared with the untreated stainless steel, the corrosion resistance of the sample nitrided at 360 ℃ for 4h are improved significantly. The surface morphologies of the LTPNed samples after potentiostatic polarization test shows that for the untreated sample, pitting corrosion is mainly happened, while for the LTPNed samples, the corroded mechanism changes from slight pitting corrosion to mainly grain boundary corrosion with the increase of nitriding temperature. Moreover, interfacial contact resistance of the LTPNed stainless steel is also lower than that of the untreated one. In addition, the LTPNed stainless steel also shows the better mechanical properties than those of the untreated one. Therefore, LTPN technology can be used to improve the performance of AISI 304 stainless steel for BBP of PEMFC with the high comprehensive property and the low cost.