SBIR Phase I: Low-Cost Bipolar Plate for a Proton-Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell

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The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project addresses the high cost of proton-exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cells. As the world transitions from internal combustion engine vehicles to electric vehicles, the market for fuel cells is expected to increase substantially. Fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs) have a number of advantages, such as high durability, long range, and fast refueling over battery electric vehicles (BEVs). Additionally, fuel cells are less susceptible to the supply chain issues that lithium-ion batteries are beginning to suffer from. However, FCEVs are currently at a significant disadvantage to BEVs in terms of cost. Reducing the cost of the fuel cell stack will help to make FCEVs cost competitive with BEVs and will accelerate their adoption into the marketplace.This SBIR Phase I project proposes to reduce the cost of PEM fuel cells by reducing the cost of the bipolar plate component. Bipolar plates currently account for approximately 30% of the full fuel cell stack cost. Current bipolar plates are made from either metal foils or molded carbon composites. Metal plates can be produced by high-speed, low-cost forming techniques, but must be made from expensive, corrosion resistant materials. Carbon bipolar plates are made from inexpensive precursors but are manufactured by processes which scale poorly. This project aims to demonstrate that a bipolar plate can be produced from a novel, low-cost, carbon-based sheet utilizing forming techniques analogous to those used for producing metallic bipolar plates. The effort focuses on optimizing the carbon sheet for low hydrogen permeability, demonstrating that flow channels can be stamped into the sheets, and quantifying functionality and durability by testing in small scale fuel cells.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.