Contact angle regulation and performance optimization of composite bipolar plates

Luyao ZHANG, Junsheng ZHENG, Runlin FAN, Pingwen MING

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Journal of Materials Engineering ›› 2025, Vol. 53 ›› Issue (6) : 218-226. DOI: 10.11868/j.issn.1001-4381.2024.000055
RESEARCH ARTICLE

Contact angle regulation and performance optimization of composite bipolar plates

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Abstract

Proton exchange membrane fuel cells （PEMFC） have the advantages of high energy conversion efficiency， low impact of load changes on power generation efficiency， and low harmful substances and carbon emissions. The bipolar plate is one of the key structural components of PEMFC and undertakes the functions of electron transfer， gas distribution， internal water management， and supporting membrane electrode components. Composite bipolar plates have advantages such as light weight， corrosion resistance， and low cost， and have received more attention. However， to maintain the stable operation of fuel cells， it is necessary that water accumulated in the flow channel can be smoothly discharged while ensuring membrane wetting. This poses new requirements for the surface characteristics of bipolar plates. For composite graphite plates， they can adjust the contact angle and regulate the water and gas conditions of PEMFCs by changing their composition and preparation process. This article introduces the addition of carbon nanofibers prepared by chemical vapor deposition （CF-CVD） in the flake graphite-resin composite materials to regulate the hydrophilicity of composite bipolar plates. Additionally， the impact of varying flake graphite particle sizes on the hydrophilicity regulation of these plates is examined. The results reveal that increased carbon fiber content enhances the surface hydrophilicity of bipolar plates， with the smallest contact angle achieving 10.28°. The particle size of flake graphite affects the contact angle of composite bipolar plates. To optimize the hydrophilicity of bipolar plates with CF-CVD， 500-1500 mesh graphite is recommended as the conductive substrate. Specifically， a CF-CVD content of 3%， combined with 1000 mesh flake graphite， yields a hydrophilic composite bipolar plate with superior comprehensive performance， exhibiting a conductivity of 239.33 S/cm and a bending strength of 73.47 MPa.

Key words

composite bipolar plate / contact angle / carbon nanofiber / flake graphite / water management

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Luyao ZHANG , Junsheng ZHENG , Runlin FAN , et al. Contact angle regulation and performance optimization of composite bipolar plates. Journal of Materials Engineering. 2025, 53(6): 218-226 https://doi.org/10.11868/j.issn.1001-4381.2024.000055

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