COMPOSITE ALUMINUM ALLOY SEPARATOR AND MANUFACTURING METHOD THEREOF

To propose a lightweight and inexpensive new separator capable of meeting such requirements that a separator, which is a core component of a power generation cell that is a component of a fuel battery, is a partition wall of the power generation cell and also plays the roll of collecting weak current generated in the power generation cell, conducting it and drawing it to the outside, so that good conductivity is essential, and at the same time, long life and tough corrosion resistance to withstand a corrosive environment inside the cell are required.SOLUTION: A separator for a fuel battery power generation cell and a manufacturing method thereof are proposed. The separator is characterized to be manufactured by a method that includes: using a semi-molten processing technology to prepare an aluminum alloy thin plate which distributes and encloses required graphite particles and can ensure internal conductivity and contact conductivity at a contact interface; producing the thin plate into a separator pre-product having a required geometry by a precise overhang forging method using precision molds; holding the obtained pre-product in an oxidizing atmosphere for a certain period of time; and forming a thick coat of aluminum oxide on the entire surface of the pre-product to give strong corrosion resistance.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 8 【課題】 燃料電池の構成機素である発電セルの基幹部品であるセパレーターは、該発電セルの隔壁であると同時に、該発電セル内で発生した微弱電流を集電し導電して外部へ引き出す役割も果すことから、良好な導電性が不可欠であり、同時に、該セル内の腐食性環境に耐える強靭な耐食性と長期寿命を必要とする。本発明は、かかる要求に応える軽量廉価な新型セパレーターに関する提案である。【解決手段】半溶融加工技術を利用し、所要黒鉛粒子を分散内包して内部導電性および接触界面での接触導電性を確保し得るアルミニウム合金薄板を作成し、精密金型による精細張り出し圧造成形法により、該薄板を所要の形状寸法を有するセパレーター予製品へと作り込み、更に、得られた該予製品を酸化雰囲気中に一定時間保持し、その全表面に酸化アルミニウムの厚被膜を形成して強固な耐食性を付与した燃料電池発電セル用セパレーター、および、その製造法を提案した。【選択図】図８