Evaluating the Effect of Metal Bipolar Plate Coating on the Performance of Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells

Oluwatosin Ijaodola, Emmanuel Ogungbemi, Fawwad Nisar. Khatib, Tabbi Wilberforce, Mohamad Ramadan, Zaki El Hassan, James Thompson and Abdul Ghani Olabi
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Oluwatosin Ijaodola: Institute of Engineering and Energy Technologies, University of the West of Scotland, Glasgow G72 0AG, UK
Emmanuel Ogungbemi: Institute of Engineering and Energy Technologies, University of the West of Scotland, Glasgow G72 0AG, UK
Fawwad Nisar. Khatib: Institute of Engineering and Energy Technologies, University of the West of Scotland, Glasgow G72 0AG, UK
Tabbi Wilberforce: Institute of Engineering and Energy Technologies, University of the West of Scotland, Glasgow G72 0AG, UK
Mohamad Ramadan: Department of mechanical engineering, International University of Beirut, P.O. Box 146404, Beirut, Lebanon
Zaki El Hassan: Institute of Engineering and Energy Technologies, University of the West of Scotland, Glasgow G72 0AG, UK
James Thompson: Institute of Engineering and Energy Technologies, University of the West of Scotland, Glasgow G72 0AG, UK
Abdul Ghani Olabi: Department of Sustainable and Renewable Energy Engineering, University of Sharjah, P.O. Box 27272, Sharjah, UAE

Energies, 2018, vol. 11, issue 11, 1-28

Abstract: Environmental concerns of greenhouse gases (GHG) effect from fossil commodities and the fast increase in global energy demand have created awareness on the need to replace fossil fuels with other sources of clean energy. PEM fuel cell (PEMFC) is a promising source of energy to replace fossil fuels. The commercialization of the cell depends on its price, weight and mechanical strength. Bipolar plates are among the main components of PEMFC which perform some significant functions in the fuel cell stack. Metal bipolar plate is considered by the research community as the future material for fuel cells. However, surface coating is required for metals to enhance its corrosion resistance, hydrophilicity and interfacial contact resistance (ICR) in PEM fuel cells. Open pore cellular metal foam (OPCMF) materials have been used to replace the conventional flow field channel in recent times due to its low electrical resistance, high specific area and high porosity; however, it endures the same corrosion problem as the metallic bipolar plate. This investigation offers an overview on different types of bipolar plates and techniques in coating metallic bipolar platse and open pore metal foam as flow field channel materials to improve the corrosion resistance which will eventually increase the efficiency of the fuel cell appreciably.

Keywords: fuel cell; coating; interfacial contact resistance; bipolar plate; hydrophilicity (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2018
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (13)

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