LOWCOST-IC · Project

Cheaper, Tougher Steel Parts That Make Fuel Cells Last Longer

energyTestedTRL 5

Fuel cells and electrolyzers need metal plates called interconnects that carry electricity and keep gases separated — think of them like the backbone holding everything together. The problem is these plates corrode over time and the joints between them and the cells crack, which kills performance. This project figured out how to use cheaper everyday steel grades instead of expensive specialty metals, coat them with ultra-thin protective layers, and bond them to the cells using a clever chemical trick that makes the connection much harder to break. They also showed these parts can be mass-produced using standard industrial equipment.

By the numbers

TRL 3 → TRL 5

Technology readiness advancement

Consortium partners

Countries represented

70%

Industry partner ratio in consortium

SMEs in consortium

Commercial SOC manufacturers testing the technology

Total project deliverables

The business problem

What needed solving

Solid oxide fuel cells and electrolyzers are promising clean energy technology, but their steel interconnect components are expensive and degrade too quickly. The metal corrodes, electrical resistance creeps up, and the mechanical bond between the interconnect and the cell cracks over time — all of which shorten stack lifetime and increase operating costs. Manufacturers need cheaper materials and more durable connections to make SOC technology commercially competitive.

The solution

What was built

The project delivered production-scale PVD-coated low-cost steel interconnects (441 and K44M grades with CeCo protective coatings), hydroformed pre-coated interconnects at various shaping geometries, and reactive oxidative bonding contact layers applied via drop-on-demand printing. These were tested in short stacks at two commercial SOC manufacturers.

Audience

Who needs this

Solid oxide fuel cell and electrolyzer stack manufacturersPVD coating service providers looking for fuel cell market entrySteel producers supplying specialty and ferritic stainless steel gradesGreen hydrogen project developers seeking lower-cost electrolyzer componentsStationary power system integrators using SOC technology

Business applications

Who can put this to work

Solid oxide fuel cell manufacturing

mid-size

Target: SOC stack manufacturers and system integrators

If you are a fuel cell or electrolyzer manufacturer struggling with interconnect degradation and high component costs — this project developed protective PVD coatings on low-cost steel grades (like K44M and 441) that maintain low electrical resistance while resisting corrosion. The entire supply chain from coating to shaping to contact layer printing was demonstrated at production scale, targeting TRL 5.

Steel and metal coating services

SME

Target: PVD coating companies and metal processing firms

If you are a coating or metal processing company looking for new high-value markets — this project validated large-scale PVD coating methods for fuel cell interconnects and hydroforming of pre-coated steel sheets. With 70% of the 10-partner consortium being industrial players, the production methods were designed for real manufacturing lines from the start.

Hydrogen and clean energy systems

enterprise

Target: Green hydrogen producers and distributed power system operators

If you are deploying solid oxide electrolyzers for green hydrogen or fuel cells for stationary power and high stack replacement costs are eating into your margins — this project delivered interconnects with substantially improved mechanical contact strength using reactive oxidative bonding, which directly extends stack lifetime and reduces maintenance costs.

Frequently asked

Quick answers

How much could this reduce interconnect costs?

The project explicitly targeted cost reduction by replacing expensive specialty steels with high-volume commercial grades (441 and K44M) combined with protective coatings. While specific cost percentages are not stated in the data, the entire production route — PVD coating, hydroforming, drop-on-demand contact layer printing — was designed around mass manufacturing economics.

Can this be manufactured at industrial scale?

Yes. The project demonstrated large-scale production methods including PVD coating of full steel sheets, hydroforming of pre-coated interconnects at various shaping depths, and fast drop-on-demand printing of contact layers. Deliverables confirm production-scale coated steel was delivered for stack testing.

What is the IP situation and how can I license this?

The project was a Research and Innovation Action (RIA) under Horizon 2020 with 10 partners across 7 countries. IP ownership typically follows Horizon 2020 rules where each partner owns their foreground IP. Contact the coordinator (Danmarks Tekniske Universitet) or the industrial partners to discuss licensing of specific coating formulations or manufacturing processes.

Has this been tested in real fuel cell stacks?

Yes. The project objective states that new interconnect steels, coatings, and contact layers were implemented in SOC stacks of two commercial manufacturers and underwent extensive testing in an industrially relevant environment. The target was to advance from TRL 3 to TRL 5.

What steel grades were validated?

Based on deliverable data, two steel grades were used: 441 steel and K44M. Both were coated with cerium-cobalt (CeCo) protective layers and delivered for corrosion testing, mechanical testing, area-specific resistance measurement, and short stack integration at multiple partner sites.

How long until this reaches the market?

The project closed in September 2022 having targeted TRL 5 (technology validated in relevant environment). Moving to commercial deployment (TRL 7-9) would require further engineering, qualification, and manufacturing scale-up. Based on available project data, the production methods demonstrated are compatible with existing industrial PVD and hydroforming equipment.

Is regulatory compliance addressed?

Based on available project data, the project focused on technical performance and manufacturing cost rather than specific regulatory certifications. However, the use of standard commercial steel grades and established manufacturing methods (PVD, hydroforming) should simplify any future certification process.

Consortium

Who built it

The LOWCOST-IC consortium of 10 partners across 7 countries (Austria, Belgium, Germany, Denmark, France, Italy, Sweden) is heavily industry-oriented with a 70% industry ratio — 7 industrial players including 3 SMEs, backed by 2 universities and 1 research organization. This is significant because it means the entire interconnect supply chain is represented: steel suppliers, coating specialists, shaping companies, contact layer developers, and two commercial SOC stack manufacturers who served as end-user validators. The coordinator is Danmarks Tekniske Universitet (DTU), a top European technical university with deep expertise in solid oxide cell technology. For a business considering this technology, the industrial-heavy consortium means the results were developed with manufacturing reality in mind, not just lab curiosity.

DANMARKS TEKNISKE UNIVERSITETCoordinator · DK
FORSCHUNGSZENTRUM JULICH GMBHparticipant · DE
SOLYDERA SPAparticipant · IT
SUNFIRE GMBHparticipant · DE
ALLEIMA TUBE ABparticipant · SE
AVL LIST GMBHparticipant · AT
TECNO ITALIA SRLparticipant · IT
BORIT NVparticipant · BE
CHALMERS TEKNISKA HOGSKOLA ABparticipant · SE

How to reach the team

Danmarks Tekniske Universitet (DTU), Denmark — reach out to the Department of Energy Conversion and Storage which leads SOC research at DTU

Order a report on this consortium See DANMARKS TEKNISKE UNIVERSITET profile →

Next steps

Talk to the team behind this work.

Want an introduction to the LOWCOST-IC team or a detailed brief on how their coated interconnects could fit your SOC production line? Contact SciTransfer — we connect businesses with EU research teams.

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