Corrosion-Resistant Coatings for Fuel Cells and Solar-Driven Water Evaporation
This community develops durable surface coatings and thin films for two distinct applications: protecting metal components in proton exchange membrane fuel cells and enabling efficient solar-driven water evaporation and desalination.
The work centers on two primary material systems. First, it involves the development of corrosion-resistant coatings, such as titanium nitride and tin films, applied to stainless steel and titanium bipolar plates to extend the lifespan of fuel cell hardware. Second, it focuses on the design of photothermal materials, including carbon-based structures, graphene oxide, and plasmonic metals, to create interfacial solar evaporators that convert sunlight into steam for desalination and wastewater treatment. The research emphasizes specific fabrication techniques like magnetron sputtering and the optimization of surface properties for water transport and salt resistance.
The community’s output is most concentrated in tin research, comprising 3.1% of all tracked tin literature, with 1,079 papers in this group. It also contributes to titanium (0.8%) and chromium (1.3%) research.
The community comprises 4,616 papers, publishing primarily in Surface and Coatings Technology, Thin Solid Films, and the International Journal of Hydrogen Energy.
Recent work continues to refine the structural design of solar evaporators, exploring bio-inspired architectures, hydrogel fibers, and textile-based membranes to improve salt resistance and simultaneous electricity generation.