A manufacturing method for manufacturing a separator for a fuel cell includes a step of applying a laser beam to a surface of a plate-shaped metal plate having a rectangular shape such that an application range of the laser beam extends linearly. In the step, the laser beam is applied such that the application range includes a high-energy region in which energy to be given by the laser beam per unit distance in a direction where the application range extends linearly is high, and a low-energy region in which the energy is low. The high-energy region includes a first region, a second region, a third region, and a fourth region. The first region and the second region extend in parallel to one of long sides of the rectangular shape. The third region and the fourth region extend in parallel to the other one of the long sides.

A manufacturing method for manufacturing a separator for a fuel cell includes a step of applying a laser beam to a surface of a plate-shaped metal plate having a rectangular shape such that an application range of the laser beam extends linearly. In the step, the laser beam is applied such that the application range includes a high-energy region in which energy to be given by the laser beam per unit distance in a direction where the application range extends linearly is high, and a low-energy region in which the energy is low. The high-energy region includes a first region, a second region, a third region, and a fourth region. The first region and the second region extend in parallel to one of long sides of the rectangular shape. The third region and the fourth region extend in parallel to the other one of the long sides.

The invention relates to a bipolar plate assembly (1) for forming an electrolysis or fuel cell stack and to the use of a bipolar plate assembly and an electrolysis or fuel cell stack with a plurality of bipolar plate assemblies.

The invention relates to a bipolar plate assembly (1) for forming an electrolysis or fuel cell stack and to the use of a bipolar plate assembly and an electrolysis or fuel cell stack with a plurality of bipolar plate assemblies.

A manufacturing method includes a cleaning step of irradiating by laser light a joining site of a first separator to which a second separator is to be joined, without joining the first separator and the second separator. In the cleaning step, at least a part of a joining site is irradiated by the laser light such that a plurality of irradiation marks created by the laser light make up a separated irradiation mark pattern in which the irradiation marks are disposed separated from each other.

An innovative fuel cell system with membrane electrode assemblies (MEAs) includes a polymer electrolyte membrane, a gas diffusion layer (GDL) made of porous metal foam, and a catalyst layer. A fuel cell has a metal foam layer that improves efficiency and lifetime of the conventional gas diffusion layer, which consists of both gas diffusion barrier (GDB) and microporous layer (MPL). This metal foam GDL enables consistent maintenance of the suitable structure and even distribution of pores during the operation. Due to the combination of mechanical and physical properties of metallic foam, the fuel cell is not deformed by external physical strain. Among many other processing methods of open-cell metal foams, ice-templating provides a cheap, easy processing route suitable for mass production. Furthermore, it provides well-aligned and long channel pores, which improve gas and water flow during the operation of the fuel cell.

An innovative fuel cell system with membrane electrode assemblies (MEAs) includes a polymer electrolyte membrane, a gas diffusion layer (GDL) made of porous metal foam, and a catalyst layer. A fuel cell has a metal foam layer that improves efficiency and lifetime of the conventional gas diffusion layer, which consists of both gas diffusion barrier (GDB) and microporous layer (MPL). This metal foam GDL enables consistent maintenance of the suitable structure and even distribution of pores during the operation. Due to the combination of mechanical and physical properties of metallic foam, the fuel cell is not deformed by external physical strain. Among many other processing methods of open-cell metal foams, ice-templating provides a cheap, easy processing route suitable for mass production. Furthermore, it provides well-aligned and long channel pores, which improve gas and water flow during the operation of the fuel cell.

A fuel cell stack includes a first metal separator and a second metal separator sandwiching a membrane electrode assembly. Bead seals are provided on the first and second metal separators. The bead seals protrude toward the membrane electrode assembly. A seal member is provided on a top part of each of the bead seals. In the process of producing the fuel cell stack, pressure medium is supplied to a coolant flow field formed between the first metal separator and the second metal separator. The supply pressure of the pressure medium is set to not less than the supply pressure of a coolant supplied to the coolant flow field during normal operation of the fuel cell stack.

A method for producing a multi-layer bipolar plate for an electrochemical device is disclosed. The method includes producing at least one sealing element made of an elastic material on a first bipolar plate layer of the bipolar plate; connecting the first bipolar plate layer with the sealing element produced thereon and a second bipolar plate layer of the bipolar plate by welding along at least one connection welding seam, in which method an impairment to the sealing element produced on the first bipolar plate layer as a result of a subsequent welding operation can be reliably avoided and the freedom of design of the electrochemical unit is preferably increased, and that during the welding operation, the second bipolar plate layer faces toward a welding energy source and that during the welding operation, a weld pool produced by the welding energy source does not completely penetrate the first bipolar plate layer.

A method for producing a multi-layer bipolar plate for an electrochemical device is disclosed. The method includes producing at least one sealing element made of an elastic material on a first bipolar plate layer of the bipolar plate; connecting the first bipolar plate layer with the sealing element produced thereon and a second bipolar plate layer of the bipolar plate by welding along at least one connection welding seam, in which method an impairment to the sealing element produced on the first bipolar plate layer as a result of a subsequent welding operation can be reliably avoided and the freedom of design of the electrochemical unit is preferably increased, and that during the welding operation, the second bipolar plate layer faces toward a welding energy source and that during the welding operation, a weld pool produced by the welding energy source does not completely penetrate the first bipolar plate layer.