A bipolar plate for a fuel cell for generation of electrical power has a bipolar plate body having a first surface. The bipolar plate body has at least one gas flow channel on the first surface, the gas flow channel defining a first gas flow channel side wall and an opposite second gas flow channel side wall, and the gas flow channel running in a first direction to expose the electrode to the reactant. The bipolar plate also has at least one electrical conductor to run at least partly parallel to the first direction within the bipolar plate body behind the first gas flow channel side wall and/or the second gas flow channel side wall, such that, when a voltage is applied to the electrical conductor, the electrical conductor forms an electromagnetic field, the electromagnetic field to accelerate the reactant at least partly in the direction of the electrode.

A manifold plate for a fuel cell stack includes a lower manifold portion, an upper manifold portion, a dielectric layer sandwiched between the lower manifold portion and the upper manifold portion, a bottom inlet hole and a bottom outlet hole formed in a bottom surface of the lower manifold portion, where the bottom inlet hole and the bottom outlet hole extend through the dielectric layer, top outlet holes and top inlet holes formed in opposing sides of a top surface of the upper manifold portion, outlet channels fluidly connecting the top outlet holes to the bottom inlet hole, and inlet channels fluidly connecting the top inlet holes to the bottom outlet hole.

Various embodiments include methods of fabricating an interconnect for a fuel cell stack. Methods for controlled pre-oxidation of an interconnect include oxidizing in a nitride-inhibiting environment to inhibit the formation of nitrides.

The present invention includes a fuel cell system having a plurality of adjacent electrochemical cells formed of an anode layer, a cathode layer spaced apart from the anode layer, and an electrolyte layer disposed between the anode layer and the cathode layer. The fuel cell system also includes at least one interconnect, the interconnect being structured to conduct free electrons between adjacent electrochemical cells. Each interconnect includes a primary conductor embedded within the electrolyte layer and structured to conduct the free electrons.

The present invention includes a fuel cell system having a plurality of adjacent electrochemical cells formed of an anode layer, a cathode layer spaced apart from the anode layer, and an electrolyte layer disposed between the anode layer and the cathode layer. The fuel cell system also includes at least one interconnect, the interconnect being structured to conduct free electrons between adjacent electrochemical cells. Each interconnect includes a primary conductor embedded within the electrolyte layer and structured to conduct the free electrons.

A three-dimensional electrode array for use in electrochemical cells, fuel cells, capacitors, supercapacitors, flow batteries, metal-air batteries and semi-solid batteries.

A three-dimensional electrode array for use in electrochemical cells, fuel cells, capacitors, supercapacitors, flow batteries, metal-air batteries and semi-solid batteries.

A unit cell includes an air inlet/outlet that is formed on a frame unit rather than being installed in a fuel electrode (anode) to simplify a sealing process, and accordingly, a continuous process using a tape casting technique may be performed. In addition, an electrolyte material that is in contact with an air electrode (cathode) in the frame unit is optimized to improve ion conductivity and a porosity of an upper layer material of the fuel electrode unit is optimized to increase fuel diffusion from a gas channel to an electrolyte layer. In addition, a sealing process performed inside the unit cell or between the unit cells of the stack is stabilized and strongly maintained, and thus a fuel cell using the unit cell and the stack disclosed herein may have excellent economic feasibility and high energy efficiency.

A unit cell includes an air inlet/outlet that is formed on a frame unit rather than being installed in a fuel electrode (anode) to simplify a sealing process, and accordingly, a continuous process using a tape casting technique may be performed. In addition, an electrolyte material that is in contact with an air electrode (cathode) in the frame unit is optimized to improve ion conductivity and a porosity of an upper layer material of the fuel electrode unit is optimized to increase fuel diffusion from a gas channel to an electrolyte layer. In addition, a sealing process performed inside the unit cell or between the unit cells of the stack is stabilized and strongly maintained, and thus a fuel cell using the unit cell and the stack disclosed herein may have excellent economic feasibility and high energy efficiency.

In order to provide a bipolar plate that has optimized electrical conductivity and can be produced as easily as possible, the invention proposes that the bipolar plate comprises an electrically conductive main body and an electrically conductive coating, wherein the electrically conductive coating comprises a binding material and one or more electrically conductive fillers, and wherein a pigment volume concentration in the coating corresponds at least to a pigment volume concentration required to achieve a percolation threshold.