Recent advancements in metal bipolar plates (MBPs) for proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) have focused on enhancing corrosion resistance and electrical conductivity. Traditional graphite plates, while chemically inert, suffer from brittleness and high manufacturing costs. MBPs, typically made from stainless steel or titanium alloys, offer superior mechanical strength and thinner designs, reducing stack volume by up to 30%. However, corrosion in the acidic PEMFC environment remains a challenge. Novel coatings such as CrN, TiN, and graphene-based layers have demonstrated remarkable improvements, with CrN-coated MBPs achieving a corrosion current density of <0.1 µA/cm² at 0.6 V vs. SHE and interfacial contact resistance (ICR) of <10 mΩ·cm² under 140 N/cm² compression.
The integration of additive manufacturing (AM) techniques has revolutionized the fabrication of MBPs, enabling complex flow field designs that optimize reactant distribution and water management. Laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) has been employed to produce MBPs with microchannel architectures, reducing pressure drop by 15-20% compared to conventional stamped plates. AM also allows for material savings of up to 40%, significantly lowering production costs. Recent studies have shown that LPBF-manufactured 316L stainless steel MBPs exhibit a tensile strength of 650 MPa and an elongation at break of 35%, surpassing traditional stamped plates while maintaining ICR values below 15 mΩ·cm².
Surface engineering has emerged as a critical area for improving the durability of MBPs under harsh operating conditions. Advanced techniques such as plasma electrolytic oxidation (PEO) and atomic layer deposition (ALD) have been explored to create ultra-thin, defect-free protective layers. PEO-treated aluminum-based MBPs have demonstrated a corrosion potential of >1.2 V vs. Ag/AgCl in simulated PEMFC environments, with ICR values remaining stable at <8 mΩ·cm² after 1,000 hours of operation. ALD-coated titanium MBPs with Al₂O₃ layers showed a hydrogen permeability reduction of 99% compared to uncoated plates, addressing one of the key limitations of metallic materials in fuel cell applications.
The economic viability of MBPs has been significantly improved through the development of low-cost alloys and scalable coating processes. Recent research has introduced ferritic stainless steels alloyed with niobium and molybdenum, which exhibit comparable performance to high-grade austenitic steels at 30-40% lower cost. Roll-to-roll coating technologies have enabled the mass production of graphene-coated MBPs with a production rate exceeding 10 m/min while maintaining ICR values below 12 mΩ·cm² and corrosion rates under ASTM B117 standards for over 5,000 hours.
Future directions in MBP research are focusing on multifunctional materials that combine electrical conductivity with self-healing properties to extend operational lifetimes beyond current benchmarks exceeding >20,000 hours for automotive applications.
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