Date of Defense

6-16-2008

Department

Physics

First Advisor

Asghar Kayani, Physics

Second Advisor

Clement Burns, Physics

Third Advisor

Lisa Paulius, Physics

Abstract

The requirements of low cost and high-cost temperature corrosion resistance for interconnect plates in solid oxide fuel cell stacks has directed attention to the use of metal plates with oxidation resistant coatings. We have investigated the performance of stainless steel plates with homogenous coatings of CrAIN. The coatings were deposited using RF magnetron sputtering, with Ar as a sputtering gas and N as reactive gas. The Cr/A1 composition ratio in the coatings was varied in a combinatorial approach. The coatings were subsequently annealed in air for up to 25 hours at 800°C. The composition of the coated plates and the rate of oxidation were characterized using Rutherford backscattering (RBS) and nuclear reaction analysis (NRA). From our results, we conclude that A1 rich coatings are more susceptible to oxidation than Cr rich coatings and Cr/A1 ratio of 0.9 offers the best resistant to oxidation.

Access Setting

Honors Thesis-Open Access

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