Successes and Current Projects in Corrosion and Durability

In our corrosion and durability work in molten salts, we have successfully determined ways to control corrosion of alloys using castable cements and surface modifications such as thermochemical surface treatments and coatings applications. And in the area of fuel cells, we have successfully reduced the degradation of bipolar plates with protective coatings by using electrochemical nitridation and low-pressure chemical vapor deposition.

Currently, we are pursuing research and development at NREL in the following projects with solar thermal, fuel cells, and water splitting. Some key publications stemming from this work are also listed.

Solar Thermal

  • Corrosion evaluation of alloys and MCrAlX coatings in molten chlorides for thermal solar applications
  • Corrosion resistance of alumina forming alloys against molten chlorides for energy production.
  • Degradation control of stainless steels in liquid Al-Si alloy using coatings.
  • Corrosion mitigation of alloys in molten salts using thermochemical surface treatments.

Solar thermal publications

  • J.C. Gomez-Vidal, J. Noel, and J. Weber. Corrosion evaluation of alloys and MCrAlX coatings in molten carbonates for thermal solar applications, Solar Energy Materials & Solar Cells 157 (2016) 517–525.
  • J.C. Gomez-Vidal and R. Tirawat, Corrosion of alloys in a chloride molten salt (NaCl‒LiCl) for solar thermal technologies. Solar Energy Materials & Solar Cells, 157 (2016) 234–244.
  • J.C. Gomez-Vidal and E. Morton, Castable cements to prevent corrosion of metals in molten salts. Solar Energy Materials & Solar Cells, 153 (2016) 44 – 51.
  • Á.G. Fernández, J.C. Gomez, H. Galleguillos, and E. Fuentealba. Thermophysical properties and corrosion characterization of low cost lithium containing nitrate salts produced in Northern Chile for thermal energy storage. SolarPACES 2015, Cape Town, South Africa. October 13-16, 2014
  • G.C. Glatzmaier and J.C. Gomez. Determining the cost benefit of high-temperature tank wall coatings for concentrating solar power thermal storage using probabilistic cost analysis, Journal of Solar Energy Engineering, 137 (2015) 041006-1 – 041006-7.
  • J.C. Gomez, R. Tirawat, and E.E. Vidal. Hot corrosion studies using electrochemical techniques of alloys in a chloride molten salt (NaCl-LiCl) at 650°C, Proceedings of the ASME 2014 8th International Conference on Energy Sustainability & 12th Fuel Cell Science, Engineering and Technology Conference. ESFuelCell2014. June 29-July 02, 2014, Boston, Massachusetts
  • J.C. Gomez, N. Calvet, A.K. Starace, and G.C. Glatzmaier. Ca(NO3)2-NaNO3-KNO3 molten salt mixtures for direct thermal energy storage systems in parabolic trough plants. Journal of Solar Energy Engineering, 135(2) (2013) 021017-1 – 021017-8.
  • N. Calvet, J.C. Gomez, A. Faik, V.V. Roddatis, A. Meffre, G.C. Glatzmaier, S. Doppiu, and X. Py, Compatibility of a post-industrial ceramic with nitrate molten salts for use as filler material in a thermocline storage system. Applied Energy, 109 (2013) 387–393.
  • N. Calvet, J.C. Gomez, A.K Starace, A. Meffre, Z. Ma, G.C. Glatzmaier, S. Doppiu, and X. Py Compatibility of low cost recycled ceramics with nitrate molten salts for a sustainable active direct thermocline storage system. INNOSTOCK 2012 The 12th International Conference on Energy Storage.
  • N. Calvet, A. Meffre, J.C. Gomez, R. Olivès, X. Py, G. Glatzmaier, and S. Doppiu, Post-industrial ceramics compatibility with heat transfer fluids for low-cost thermal energy storage applications in CSP. ASME 2012, 6th International Conference on Energy Sustainability & 10th Fuel Cell Science, Engineering and Technology Conference ESFuelCell2012.

Fuel Cells

  • Degradation and optimization of bipolar plates

Fuel cell publications

  • D.D. Papadias, R.K. Ahluwalia, J.K. Thomson, H.M. Meyer III, M.P. Brady, H. Wang, J.A. Turner, R. Mukundan, and R. Borup. Degradation of SS316L bipolar plates in simulated fuel cell environment: Corrosion rate, barrier film formation kinetics and contact resistance, Journal of Power Sources 273 (2015) 1237–249.
  • H. Wang and J.A. Turner. Electrochemical nitridation of a stainless steel for PEMFC bipolar plates. International Journal of Hydrogen Energy 36 (2011) 13008–13013.
  • H. Wang and J.A. Turner. Austenitic stainless steels in high temperature phosphoric acid. Journal of Power Sources 180 (2008) 803–807.
  • H. Wang, J.A. Turner, X. Li, and G. Teeter. Process modification for coating SnO2:F on stainless steels for PEM fuel cell bipolar plates. Journal of Power Sources 178 (2008) 238–247.
  • H. Wang and J.A. Turner. SnO2: F coated ferritic stainless steels for PEM fuel cell bipolar plates. Journal of Power Sources 170 (2007) 387–394.
  • H. Wang, J.A. Turner, X. Li, and R. Bhattacharya. SnO2: F coated austenite stainless steels for PEM fuel cell bipolar plates. Journal of Power Sources 171 (2007) 567–574.
  • H. Wang and J.A. Turner. Ferritic stainless steels as bipolar plate material for polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells. Journal of Power Sources 128 (2004) 193–200.
  • H. Wang, M.A. Sweikart, and J.A. Turner. Stainless steel as bipolar plate material for polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells, Journal of Power Sources 115 (2003) 243–251.

Water Splitting

  • Corrosion evaluation and mitigation of components in advance low temperature electrolysis for water splitting

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