Next generation coatings for fuel cells
| Reference number | |
| Coordinator | Impact Coatings AB (publ) |
| Funding from Vinnova | SEK 3 130 000 |
| Project duration | November 2014 - February 2016 |
| Status | Completed |
Purpose and goal
The goal was to develop the next generation of protective coatings for bipolar plates in fuel cells for the automotive industry. This means that the project should both improve the performance of the coating and lower the cost for the deposition process to fulfill the demands for high volume production. The successful outcome of the project has resulted in collaborations with about 10 companies within the automotive industry.
Expected results and effects
A deposition process has been developed where the coating thickness has been significantly decreased, which has resulted in higher productivity and lower production costs. Additionally, the coating has better performance with respect to corrosion- and contact resistance compared to the standard coating. The resulting coating has constantly been top ranked in customer evaluations, which has strengthened the chance for Impact Coatings to be qualified as a supplier for the automotive industry.
Planned approach and implementation
The project has been running for 15 months and was divided into 7 work packages, which later could be reduced to 6. The work packages were performed in parallel and iteratively in order to get maximum output. At the end of the project tests regarding both production and performance were conducted, which revealed improved productivity and coating performance as well as lowered production costs.