Effects of potential on corrosion behavior and contact resistance of 446 stainless steel in simulated proton exchange membrane fuel cell cathode environment

The corrosion behavior and surface conductivity of type 446 stainless steel were investigated in the simulated cathode environment of proton exchange membrane fuel cell with 0.0005 M H 2 SO 4 + 0.1 ppm F − solution at 80 °C under different polarization potentials by using electrochemical measurement methods, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES). The 446 stainless steel passivates spontaneously in the simulated environment. The current density and interface contact resistance (ICR) enlarge slightly with increasing the anodic polarization potential in the passive region. As the potential changes from 0.7 to 1.5 V vs. SCE, the current density and ICR increase markedly due to the occurrence of transpassivation, secondary passivation, and oxygen evolution. The ICR values are larger by about 24 mΩ cm 2 after the polarization above 0.7 V vs. SCE. The polarization potential shifts from the passive region to oxygen evolution region, resulting in higher oxidized Fe and Mo contents in the product film on specimen surface and relatively more release of alloying constituents (especially Cr and Mo) into the solution. These are mainly responsible for the degradation of corrosion and surface conductivity properties.