Electroforming of metallic bipolar plates with micro-featured flow field

Abstract In addition to mechanical properties, uniform fuel dispersion, efficient removal of water and high electric conductivity are also important functions of a bipolar plate. The capillary effect of micro-featured flow field may attract water from the carbonic diffusion layer and promote more evenly dispersion of fuels into the diffusion layer. Thus, it may improve the performance of proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cells. In this research, the Lithography Galvanik Abformung (LIGA) manufacturing processes with electroforming technology are investigated for the production of micro-featured flow field of the metallic bipolar plates. The micro-features are designed in conjunction with the existing flow channel to form an integrated flow field system. Instead of silicon wafer, a 4 in. wafer size SS304 stainless steel plate is used as the substrate. The LIGA processes of photo masking, spin coating, exposure and development are employed to create electric conducting die with flow field pattern. Electroforming of this metallic plate coated with flow field patterned photo resist will result in the main flow channel on the SS304 plate. The same processes were conducted for the second iteration to form micro-features. Thus, metallic bipolar plates with micro-features are produced using the electroforming technology. A single cell with total cell area of 16 cm 2 and reaction area of 4 cm 2 was produced. It has micro-features of 100 and 200 μm width and of 50 μm depth. The dimensions of the main flow channel were 300 μm in width and 200 μm in depth. Single cell tests were conducted to evaluate its performance. The cell performance of the single cell with SS304 metallic bipolar plates exceeds similar size single cell with silicon or glass fiber substrates. The electroforming is a promising technology for metallic bipolar plates with micro-features and micro-fuel cell.