Effects of minor alloying elements (Si, Mn and Al) on the corrosion behavior of stainless steels in molten carbonate fuel cell cathode environment

Abstract Effects of minor alloying elements (Si, Mn, and Al) on the corrosion resistance behaviors of stainless steel (SS) modified 310S used as a cathode current collector (CCC) material for molten carbonate fuel cells (MCFC) were examined in a mixture of 62 mol% Li 2 CO 3 –38 mol% K 2 CO 3 at 650 °C by measuring the change in corrosion potential and the potentio-dynamic, potentio-static polarization responses. The corrosion potential of modified 310S gradually increased after 9 h of immersion due to an active to passive transition and that of SSs added with minor alloying elements drastically increased before 6 h of immersion due to the reactive alloys. Si, Mn, and Al addition to base SS led to a decrease in corrosion resistance due to the rapid corrosion rate at the cathode operation potential, −40 mV, of the MCFC. The steady state current densities of SSs added with minor alloying elements were higher than that of 310S and modified 310S. Addition of Si, Mn, and Al induced a decrease in corrosion resistance of CCC materials in molten carbonate fuel cell operating temperatures, 650 °C.