Durability Enhancement of Electromagnetic Valves in Hydrogen Fuel Cell Vehicles: A Novel Approach

The hydrogen injector, specifically designed for hydrogen fuel cell engines, is fundamentally an electromagnetic valve whose core functionality is directly governed by the performance characteristics of high-speed electromagnetic actuation components, thereby critically determining the injector’s response speed, pressure stability, and operational lifespan. Frequent high-frequency impacts between the valve core and seat significantly degrade its service life. This study innovatively employs magnetron sputtering technology to construct a novel nanocoating structure on the functional surfaces of the hydrogen injection valve. The coating system is primarily composed of amorphous hydrogen-free carbon (taC). The phase structure of the coating was analyzed via X-ray diffraction (XRD), the coefficient of friction was measured using a multifunctional surface property tester, and nanohardness was evaluated through nanoindentation. Results demonstrate that, compared to the uncoated substrate, the coated surface exhibits a significantly reduced friction coefficient and markedly enhanced hardness. The engineered surface demonstrates superior hardness and toughness, in order to improving resistance to crack initiation and propagation. The hydrogen injection valve equipped with this novel nanocoating exhibits exceptional wear resistance, significantly slowing the rate of component degradation.