Effects of Ag Current Collecting Layer Fabricated by Sputter for 3D-Printed Polymer Bipolar Plate of Ultra-Light Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cells

Gye-Eun Jang and Gu-Young Cho
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Gye-Eun Jang: Department of Mechanical Engineering, Dankook University, Yongin-si 16890, Korea
Gu-Young Cho: Department of Mechanical Engineering, Dankook University, Yongin-si 16890, Korea

Sustainability, 2022, vol. 14, issue 5, 1-9

Abstract: In this study, 3D-printed polymer bipolar plates were fabricated and applied to the polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs). In order to overcome the poor electronic conductivity of polymer bipolar plates, silver current collecting layers were deposited using a sputter process. Influences of the thickness of the current collecting layer were carefully investigated to optimize the thickness. Using a sputter process, current collecting layers were successfully deposited without clear evidence of defects. Additionally, the increment in the total weight of bipolar plates was minimized. The average thickness of the silver current collecting layer was varied from 216 nm to 1.46 um. The results showed the fuel cell with 1.46 um thick Ag current collecting layer coated 3D printed bipolar plates achieved 0.96 V of the open circuit voltage and 308.35 mW/cm 2 of performance at 25 °C.

Keywords: polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells; polymer bipolar plate; 3D printing; electrochemical impedance spectroscopy; ohmic resistance; current collecting layer (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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