A flow battery includes an electrochemical cell that has a first electrode, a second electrode spaced apart from the first electrode, and a separator layer arranged between the first electrode and the second electrode. The separator layer is formed of a polymer that has a polymer backbone with cyclic groups that are free of unsaturated nitrogen and one or more polar groups bonded between the cyclic groups.

A fuel cell manufacturing method capable of easily forming an interconnector part electrically connecting adjacent unit cells in a planar array fuel cell is provided. The interconnector part (30) is formed through a local heating process of carbonizing a proton conductive resin by locally heating an electrolyte membrane (12). The local heating process includes: a first heating step of heating a part of the electrolyte membrane (12) to a temperature equal to or less than a first temperature at a first temperature increase rate or less; and a second heating step of heating the part of the electrolyte membrane (12) to a temperature equal to or greater than a second temperature higher than the first temperature at a temperature increase rate greater than the first temperature increase rate, after the first heating step.

A fuel cell manufacturing method capable of easily forming an interconnector part electrically connecting adjacent unit cells in a planar array fuel cell is provided. The interconnector part (30) is formed through a local heating process of carbonizing a proton conductive resin by locally heating an electrolyte membrane (12). The local heating process includes: a first heating step of heating a part of the electrolyte membrane (12) to a temperature equal to or less than a first temperature at a first temperature increase rate or less; and a second heating step of heating the part of the electrolyte membrane (12) to a temperature equal to or greater than a second temperature higher than the first temperature at a temperature increase rate greater than the first temperature increase rate, after the first heating step.

The present invention relates to new compositions for bipolar plates and processes for manufacturing said compositions. More particularly, the invention relates to a process for manufacturing a composition, comprising the following steps:—mixing a thermoplastic polymer in the molten state with a first conductive filler in order to obtain a conductive thermoplastic polymer,—grinding said conductive thermoplastic polymer in order to reduce it to powder;—mixing the conductive thermoplastic polymer powder with a second conductive filler.”

The present invention relates to new compositions for bipolar plates and processes for manufacturing said compositions. More particularly, the invention relates to a process for manufacturing a composition, comprising the following steps:—mixing a thermoplastic polymer in the molten state with a first conductive filler in order to obtain a conductive thermoplastic polymer,—grinding said conductive thermoplastic polymer in order to reduce it to powder;—mixing the conductive thermoplastic polymer powder with a second conductive filler.”

A method is provided to make a bipolar plate of a flow cell. The two insulating frames traditionally cladding the graphite plate is changed. Through injection-molding, an acid-resisting insulating material is molded on the graphite plate to form an integrated bipolar plate. Composite channels are designed around the graphite plate. Thus, the binding force between the acid-resisting insulating material and the graphite plate is increased and the risk of electrolyte leakage is reduced. In order to reduce shunt currents, branch channels are also made in the frame through injection-molding. By using the bipolar plate thus made accordingly, not only the possibility of electrolyte leakage but also the number of components and the time for processing assembly can be significantly reduced. The cost of processing and assembly is effectively decreased. Accordingly, the present invention simplifies the structure of bipolar plate with cost reduced.

A method is provided to make a bipolar plate of a flow cell. The two insulating frames traditionally cladding the graphite plate is changed. Through injection-molding, an acid-resisting insulating material is molded on the graphite plate to form an integrated bipolar plate. Composite channels are designed around the graphite plate. Thus, the binding force between the acid-resisting insulating material and the graphite plate is increased and the risk of electrolyte leakage is reduced. In order to reduce shunt currents, branch channels are also made in the frame through injection-molding. By using the bipolar plate thus made accordingly, not only the possibility of electrolyte leakage but also the number of components and the time for processing assembly can be significantly reduced. The cost of processing and assembly is effectively decreased. Accordingly, the present invention simplifies the structure of bipolar plate with cost reduced.

The invention relates to a stack of several electrochemical cells stacked on top of one another in a stacking direction. The stack comprises at least: a first electrochemical cell, a second electrochemical cell, and an intercalary plate. Each cell includes an upper frame housing a first electrode and a lower frame housing a second electrode, the first electrode and the second electrode being separated from one another by a membrane. The second electrode of the first electrochemical cell and the first electrode of the second electrochemical cell are separated by an intercalary plate. The stack includes an intercalary frame arranged on the periphery of the intercalary plate.

For continuously producing a band-shaped plate material from plastic filled with electrically conductive particles, which can be sub-divided into bipolar separator plates or blanks for bipolar separator plates, the particles and the plastic are compounded into a compound, the compound is ground into a powder, the powder is spread out into a preform, and the preform is, preferably isobarically, hot-pressed between a lower belt and an upper belt of a double belt press into a plate material.

For continuously producing a band-shaped plate material from plastic filled with electrically conductive particles, which can be sub-divided into bipolar separator plates or blanks for bipolar separator plates, the particles and the plastic are compounded into a compound, the compound is ground into a powder, the powder is spread out into a preform, and the preform is, preferably isobarically, hot-pressed between a lower belt and an upper belt of a double belt press into a plate material.