Three-Dimensionally Printed Metal-Coated Flow-Field Plate for Lightweight Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cells

Dasol Kim, Geonhwi Kim, Juho Na, Hyeok Kim, Jaeyeon Kim, Guyoung Cho () and Taehyun Park ()
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Dasol Kim: School of Mechanical Engineering, Soongsil University, 369 Sangdo-ro, Dongjak-gu, Seoul 06978, Republic of Korea
Geonhwi Kim: School of Mechanical Engineering, Soongsil University, 369 Sangdo-ro, Dongjak-gu, Seoul 06978, Republic of Korea
Juho Na: School of Mechanical Engineering, Soongsil University, 369 Sangdo-ro, Dongjak-gu, Seoul 06978, Republic of Korea
Hyeok Kim: School of Mechanical Engineering, Soongsil University, 369 Sangdo-ro, Dongjak-gu, Seoul 06978, Republic of Korea
Jaeyeon Kim: School of Mechanical Engineering, Soongsil University, 369 Sangdo-ro, Dongjak-gu, Seoul 06978, Republic of Korea
Guyoung Cho: Department Mechanical Engineering, Dankook University, 152 Jukjeon-ro, Suji-gu, Yongin-si 16890, Gyenggi-do, Republic of Korea
Taehyun Park: School of Mechanical Engineering, Soongsil University, 369 Sangdo-ro, Dongjak-gu, Seoul 06978, Republic of Korea

Energies, 2025, vol. 18, issue 6, 1-12

Abstract: This study investigates the potential for affordable and lightweight polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) using lightweight flow-field plates, also referred to as bipolar plates. A comparative analysis was conducted on the performance of metal-coated and uncoated three-dimensional (3D)-printed flow-field plates, as well as that of a conventional graphite flow-field plate. The fabrication of these lightweight flow-field plates involved the application of sputtering and 3D printing technologies. The polarization curves and corresponding electrochemical impedance spectra of PEMFCs with metal-coated 3D-printed, uncoated 3D-printed, and graphite flow-field plates were measured. The results demonstrate that the metal-coated 3D-printed flow-field plate exhibits a gravimetric power density of 5.21 mW/g, while the graphite flow-field plate registers a value of 2.78 mW/g, representing an 87.4% improvement in gravimetric power density for the metal-coated 3D-printed flow-field plate compared to the graphite flow-field plate. These findings suggest the feasibility of reducing the weight of PEMFCs using metal-coated 3D-printed flow-field plates.

Keywords: polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell; flow field plate; thin film; sputtering; 3D printing (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: 2025
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