Au Coated Printed Circuit Board Current Collectors Using a Pulse Electroplating Method for Fuel Cell Applications

Sang-Sun Park, Na-Young Shin, Chanmin Lee, Yukwon Jeon, Won Seok Chi and Yong-Gun Shul
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Sang-Sun Park: LOTTE Chemical, #24-1, Jang-dong, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 305-726, Korea
Na-Young Shin: Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Yonsei University, 50 Yonsei-ro, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul 03722, Korea
Chanmin Lee: Research Institute of Clean Manufacturing System, Green and Sustainable Materials R&D Department, Korea Institute of Industrial Technology, 89 Yangdaegiro-gil, lpjang-myeon, Seobuk-gu, Cheonan-si 31056, Korea
Yukwon Jeon: Department of Environmental and Energy Engineering, Yonsei University, 1 Yonseidae-gil, Wonju 26493, Korea
Won Seok Chi: Department of Polymer Engineering, Graduate School, Chonnam National University, 77 Yongbong-ro, Buk-gu, Gwangju 61186, Korea
Yong-Gun Shul: Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Yonsei University, 50 Yonsei-ro, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul 03722, Korea

Energies, 2021, vol. 14, issue 16, 1-10

Abstract: The effect of the Au coated printed circuit board (PCB) as a current collector on the performance of fuel cells is demonstrated. In this study, optimized pulse electroplating was introduced, which was found to be much more effective compared to the direct current (DC) plating for the PCB fabrication based on the passive area from the potentiodynamic polarization scan. Variable electrochemical parameters such as applied potential and frequency for the pulse electroplating method are controlled. Using the polarization tests, the corrosion behavior of the Au coated PCB layer was also observed. From these basic data, the coating methods and electrochemical parameters were systematically controlled to achieve efficient results for direct methanol fuel cells (DMFCs). The stability test for the cell operation indicates that the micro DMFC with the Au coated PCB substrate formed at a frequency of 10 Hz exhibited the highest stability and performance. As a result, the Au coated PCB substrate using pulse electroplating at 1.5 V and 1 kHz can be a promising current collector for portable DMFCs.

Keywords: pulse electroplating; printed circuit board (PCB); current collector; corrosion; fuel cells (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
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