Patent ID: 8268160

Claim:
A method for conducting a corrosion test on a specimen immersed in an electrolyte in an electrochemical cell, the method comprising: experimentally relating a plurality of potentials of the specimen to a plurality of currents drawn through the specimen by applying the plurality of potentials to the specimen while measuring the plurality of currents, or, by drawing the plurality of currents through the specimen while measuring the plurality of potentials; wherein the plurality of potentials are referenced to a hydrogen reference electrode also immersed in the electrolyte; supplying hydrogen to the hydrogen reference electrode via an electrolysis cathode distinct from the hydrogen reference electrode; measuring a corrosion property of a material from which the specimen is constructed based on the relating; and forming separator plates of a fuel cell, the separator plates including the material based on the measured corrosion property; wherein a first corrosion-resistant tube partly encloses the hydrogen reference electrode and partly separates the electrolyte nearest the hydrogen reference electrode from a balance of the electrolyte in the electrochemical cell.