Fabrication of high strength and a low weight composite bipolar plate for fuel cell applications

The bipolar plate is one of the most important components in a PEM fuel cell. A polymer composite bipolar plate possessing high strength (81 MPa) and high stiffness (20 GPa) has been developed by making use of carbon fiber network in a specific form as the filler component. Such high strength is very much desired, especially when the fuel cells are used for mobile applications, since it is the bipolar plate that provides mechanical support to all the other cell components. The addition of carbon black and the effect of particle size of the natural graphite flakes used as other reinforcements also play a crucial role in controlling the physical and electrical properties of the composite plates. The plate when used in the unit fuel cell assembly showed I–V performance comparable to that of the commercially available bipolar plates.