A path toward durable and low-cost bipolar plates with ALD-SnO2 coating for proton exchange membrane water electrolyzers
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: This study presents a novel technical solution for bipolar plates (BPPs) in proton exchange membrane (PEM) water electrolyzers as a potential alternative to titanium-based system. The proposed approach involves a SnO 2 coating deposited via atomic layer deposition (ALD) on a stainless-steel substrate, yielding a dense and chemically pure layer. Performance was evaluated in terms of corrosion resistance and interfacial contact resistance (ICR), with new methodological approaches. The corrosion process involving metallic cation dissolution was monitored in real time by atomic emission spectroelectrochemistry (AESEC), and the oxygen evolution reaction was simultaneously quantified by operando respirometry. The results reveal that oxygen evolution dominates the anodic reaction, and the ALD-SnO 2 coating reduces the dissolution rate of stainless-steel, confirmed by post-mortem surface characterization. Although the ALD-SnO 2 coating slightly increased the ICR of stainless steel, it shows limited evolution after corrosion and surface preparation is found to be a promising strategy for further optimization.
Institutions: Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, École Polytechnique, Commissariat à l'Énergie Atomique et aux Énergies Alternatives, Université Paris-Saclay, CEA Paris-Saclay, Sorbonne Université, Laboratoire Interfaces et Systèmes Électrochimiques, Université Paris Sciences et Lettres, Institut de Recherche de Chimie Paris
Language: English
Subfield: Electrical and Electronic Engineering
Field: Engineering
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
Estimated APC paid: $3,730
OpenAlex ID: W7222822841