Stainless steel 316L as bipolar plate material in proton exchange membrane water electrolyzer: The influence of potential and temperature on dissolution stability

Fiedler L, Ma TC, Fritsch B, Dierner M, Hoffmeister D, Rubach C, Will J, Przybilla T, Spiecker E, Dworschak D, Mayrhofer KJ, Hutzler A (2025)

Publication Type: Journal article

Publication year: 2025

Journal

Materials Today Sustainability Elsevier

Book Volume: 31

Article Number: 101155

DOI: 10.1016/j.mtsust.2025.101155

Abstract

Stainless steel is a possible candidate for replacing titanium-based bipolar plates to reduce the cost of proton exchange membrane water electrolyzers. However, stainless steel is suspected to dissolve which could harm the system. Herein, we investigate the influence of applied potentials and temperatures on the dissolution stability of stainless steel (316L) in deionized (DI) water (pH ≈ 7) and highly diluted H2SO4 (pH ≈ 3) utilizing a scanning flow cell coupled on-line to an inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer (SFC-ICP-MS). In H2SO4, the applied potentials critically influence the dissolution rates of 316L. Detrimental dissolution is observed at the open circuit potential, whereas dissolution is minimal in a potential window between 0.76 and 0.96 V. Temperature enhances the dissolution of 316L, especially due to a reduced stability of Cr. In DI water, the stability of 316L remains widely independent of potential and temperature, with dissolution rates remaining at an overall low level. Complementary scanning- and transmission electron microscopy reveal corrosion phenomena after electrochemical measurements in pH 3. Our results provide insights into factors influencing the stability of 316L and emphasize the importance of testing conditions that accurately mimic real-operations.

Authors with CRIS profile

Birk Fritsch
Martin Dierner Lehrstuhl für Werkstoffwissenschaften (Mikro- und Nanostrukturforschung) Carmen Rubach Lehrstuhl für Werkstoffwissenschaften (Mikro- und Nanostrukturforschung) Johannes Will Lehrstuhl für Werkstoffwissenschaften (Mikro- und Nanostrukturforschung) Thomas Przybilla Lehrstuhl für Werkstoffwissenschaften (Mikro- und Nanostrukturforschung) Erdmann Spiecker Lehrstuhl für Werkstoffwissenschaften (Mikro- und Nanostrukturforschung)

Involved external institutions

Forschungszentrum Jülich / Research Centre Jülich (FZJ) DE Germany (DE)

How to cite

APA:

Fiedler, L., Ma, T.C., Fritsch, B., Dierner, M., Hoffmeister, D., Rubach, C.,... Hutzler, A. (2025). Stainless steel 316L as bipolar plate material in proton exchange membrane water electrolyzer: The influence of potential and temperature on dissolution stability. Materials Today Sustainability, 31. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mtsust.2025.101155

MLA:

Fiedler, Lena, et al. "Stainless steel 316L as bipolar plate material in proton exchange membrane water electrolyzer: The influence of potential and temperature on dissolution stability." Materials Today Sustainability 31 (2025).

BibTeX: Download