February 18, 2025
Kobe Steel, Ltd.
Kobe Steel announces that it has decided to begin PVD coating*1 service focused on fuel cell components such as fuel cell bipolar plates and water electrolyzer components. Since 1986, the Company has been developing the PVD business and has supplied over 600 units around the world, contributing to the spread of PVD technology. Expanding its applications to new fields—fuel cells and water electrolyzers—, the Company’s proprietary PVD technology will propel the advancement of hydrogen utilization.
Both the fuel cell and the water electrolyzer are composed of tens to hundreds of cells stacked in layers, as shown in the figure below. PVD coating has been gaining attention in recent years as a way to improve the durability and electrical properties of each component that makes up the cell, with an increasing demand for highly productive in-line PVD systems*2. By starting a contract coating business that employs in-line PVD systems, we aim to provide customers with low-cost, high-value PVD coating.
GDL: Gas diffusion layer
PEM: Polymer electrolyte membrane
Figure: Illustrative diagrams of a cell of the fuel cell (left) and the water electrolyzer (right)
The Company plans to undertake mass coating service of tens of thousands of cells per year using in-line PVD systems beginning around 2026, with the goal of expanding the volume to millions to tens of millions of cells per year in the future.
For inquiries regarding this announcement, please reach out to us at the link below.
*1: PVD coating
Physical vapor deposition (PVD) is a general term to describe a variety of methods to deposit thin films. In this process, solid materials to be deposited are vaporized or turned into plasma in vacuum to coat the substrate. The formed thin film is characterized by its high adhesion and density. Since PVD allows for a wide range of material selection, it enables creating thin films with functions tailored to intended purposes. Applications extend to a wide range, including functional films for semiconductors and display panels, hard films for automobile parts and cutting tools, and protective and decorative films for watches and other places that need to be waterproof.
*2: In-line PVD system
In-line PVD system is a type of PVD coating system in which multiple chambers are connected in series, with each chamber performing evacuation, etching, coating, and venting. Once the substrate is placed in the equipment, it is automatically transported to the next chamber upon the completion of the processing in each chamber. The in-line PVD system is highly productive with a cycle time of several minutes, while the generally-used batch-type PVD system performs each process in a separate chamber. Since one batch process takes several hours, the batch-type is not suitable for mass processing.
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