A fuel cell plate for distributing a reactant at an electrode or a gas diffusion layer of a fuel cell has a plate body in which at least one flow field is incorporated, comprising at least one duct. The plate body has hygroscopic and electrically conductive properties.

A fuel cell plate for distributing a reactant at an electrode or a gas diffusion layer of a fuel cell has a plate body in which at least one flow field is incorporated, comprising at least one duct. The plate body has hygroscopic and electrically conductive properties.

A system and method for a flowing electrolyte battery enables compression plates to be produced from a uni-directional glass fibre reinforced thermoplastic composite. The system includes: a cell stack of electrodes and separators, with a compression plate consisting of thermoplastic composite with uni-directional glass fibre reinforcement layers, with at least one layer of the uni-directional glass fibre configured in a direction perpendicular to a direction of another layer of uni-directional glass fibre; at least one integral manifold adjacent to the cell stack configured to seal the cell stack; and side plates consisting of thermoplastic composite with a plurality of uni-directional glass fibre layers configured in a direction perpendicular to the compression plates, the side plates consisting of at least one surface layer of a first end layer or a second end layer of thermoplastic composite having less uni-directional glass fibre content than another layer.

A method of preparing a bipolar plate for a fuel cell is disclosed. The method includes (a) using an electrically conductive filler and a polymer binder to prepare a bipolar plate blank, (b) vacuum-sealing the bipolar plate blank in a metal foil bag, (c) applying hot isostatic pressing to the bipolar plate blank vacuum-sealed in the metal foil bag at a pressure greater than 100 MPa and a temperature of 150-400° C., and (d) peeling the bipolar plate blank that has undergone the hot isostatic pressing from the metal foil bag, and thereby obtaining the bipolar plate. A bipolar plate prepared by the method is also disclosed.

A method for producing a separator plate, where thermoplastic polymer material and a powder of electro-conductive filler, ECF is kneaded at a kneading temperature above a glass transition temperature for the thermoplastic polymer material but below a melting temperature for the thermoplastic polymer material in order to provide a malleable but not molten compound and for causing fibrillization in the thermoplastic polymer material prior to hot-compacting the sheet in a press-form to form a separator plate. A production facility for practicing the method is also disclosed.

A method for producing a separator plate, where thermoplastic polymer material and a powder of electro-conductive filler, ECF is kneaded at a kneading temperature above a glass transition temperature for the thermoplastic polymer material but below a melting temperature for the thermoplastic polymer material in order to provide a malleable but not molten compound and for causing fibrillization in the thermoplastic polymer material prior to hot-compacting the sheet in a press-form to form a separator plate. A production facility for practicing the method is also disclosed.

A bipolar plate for a fuel cell is provided. The bipolar plate is formed by pressing a base plate, wherein the base plate is formed by a soft graphite plate. The soft graphite plate has a density of 0.8-1.3 g/cm.sup.3, a carbon content more than 98% and an ash content less than 2%. Based on the thickness of the base plate before pressing, the thickness compression ratio of the bipolar plate is 40-50%.

For production of a separator plate in a fuel cell, a malleable precursor sheet is made by mixing thermoplastic polymer, carbon fibers, and electroconductive carbon particles, which is then hot-compression molded as a single layer or multi-layer structure or multi-layer structure, where the layer thickness is less than the length of the carbon fibers.

For production of a separator plate in a fuel cell, a malleable precursor sheet is made by mixing thermoplastic polymer, carbon fibers, and electroconductive carbon particles, which is then hot-compression molded as a single layer or multi-layer structure or multi-layer structure, where the layer thickness is less than the length of the carbon fibers.

An intermediate material of a thermoplastic prepreg for a fuel cell separation plate comprises a hydrophobic thermoplastic resin film and a fiber base. The hydrophobic thermoplastic resin film has a degree of crystallization of 1 to 20%, a thickness of 3 to 50 μm, and (iii) a content of an electroconductive material of 1 to 20 wt. %. The film is laminated on at least one surface of the fiber base. The thermoplastic prepreg for a fuel cell separation plate is manufactured by pressurizing the thermoplastic prepreg intermediate material at a temperature higher than the melting point of the hydrophobic thermoplastic resin film. A fuel cell separation membrane manufactured using the thermoplastic prepreg intermediate material and thermoplastic prepreg is thin and light-weight, and have a good durability.