Our lab is conducting research on applying various thin films manufactured using a magnetron sputtering system to fuel cells. By using a magnetron sputtering device, microscopic parts of a solid material can be deposited on the substrate in a physical way using energetic particles of a plasma. Also, various instrumental analyses are conducted (e.g., Field emission scanning electron microscope (FE-SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), energy dispersive X-ray spectrometer (EDS), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS)) to investigate the morphology of the thin films.

In the case of a catalyst of a fuel cell, research is underway with the goal of increasing the Pt utilization rate by changing the properties of the substrate or changing the deposition shape of the catalyst. Low-temperature substrate sputtering on an acid-treated carbon nanotube (ATCNT) sheet was proposed and resulted in high Pt surface area and density of the catalyst surface. It can also be exposed to complex tensile and compressive stresses. Furthermore, efforts are being made to make alloys through deposition that do not degrade the performance of the fuel cell while reducing the amount of Pt used.

Sputtering can be employed to deposit a cathodic interlayer on the solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC), similar to the configuration depicted in the provided image. Additionally, the solid oxide electrolyte of the SOFC can be fabricated through sputtering using a metal target with oxygen reactive sputtering or an oxide target.

Sputtering finds application in corrosion prevention for fuel cell components or in the creation of additional functional layers. For the corrosion resistance of Bipolar plates utilizing carbon-based materials, metal coatings are achieved through sputtering. Furthermore, it is possible to coat components with materials that exhibit good hydrophilicity or conductivity using sputtering.