The bipolar plate is an important component of the PEMFC (polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell) because it supplies the pathway of electron flow between each unit cell. Fe-Ni-Cr alloy is considered as a good candidate material for bipolar plate, but it is limited to use as a bipolar plate due to its high ICR (interfacial contact resistance) and corrosion problem. In order to explore a cost-effective method on surface modification, various chemical and electrochemical treatments are performed on Fe-Ni-Cr alloy to acquire the effect of the surface modification on the ICR and corrosion behavior. The ICR and corrosion resistance of Fe-Ni-Cr alloy can be effectively controlled by the chemical treatment of immersion in the mixed acid solution with 10 vol% HNO3, 2 vol% HCl and 1 vol% HF for 10 min at 65 degrees C and then was placed in 30 vol% HNO3 solution for 5 min. The chemical treatment is more effective on reducing ICR and improving corrosion resistance than that of electrochemical methods (be carried out in the 2 mol/L H2SO4 solution with the electrical potential from -0.4 V to 0.6 V) for Fe-Ni-Cr alloy as a bipolar plate for polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells. (C) 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.