The present disclosure provides methods for forming flow plate and frame assemblies that comprise an anode frame member, a flow plate, and a cathode frame member with the flow plate retained between the anode and cathode frame members. The present disclosure also provides for flow plate and frame assemblies, fuel cell stacks containing a plurality of the flow plate and frame assemblies, and fuel cell systems containing the fuel cell stacks. A fluidly connected anode fluid pathway can be provided from an anode fluid inlet, through conduits in the anode frame member, onto an anode surface of the flow plate, and into anode flow channels.

A method of making an interconnect for a solid oxide fuel cell stack includes contacting an interconnect powder located in a die cavity with iron, the interconnect powder including a chromium and iron, compressing the interconnect powder to form an interconnect having ribs and fuel channels on a first side of the interconnect, such that the iron is disposed on tips of the ribs; and sintering the interconnect, such that the iron forms an contact layer on the tips of the ribs having a higher iron concentration than a remainder of the interconnect. A glass containing cathode contact layer having a glass transition temperature of 900° C. or less may be located over the rib tips on the oxidant side of the interconnect.

A method of making an interconnect for a solid oxide fuel cell stack includes contacting an interconnect powder located in a die cavity with iron, the interconnect powder including a chromium and iron, compressing the interconnect powder to form an interconnect having ribs and fuel channels on a first side of the interconnect, such that the iron is disposed on tips of the ribs; and sintering the interconnect, such that the iron forms an contact layer on the tips of the ribs having a higher iron concentration than a remainder of the interconnect. A glass containing cathode contact layer having a glass transition temperature of 900° C. or less may be located over the rib tips on the oxidant side of the interconnect.

A bipolar plate for a fuel cell includes an anode plate and a cathode plate. The anode plate has hydrogen flow channels on a first side of the anode plate and coolant channels on a second side of the anode plate. The cathode plate has a first side disposed against the second side of the anode plate to cover the coolant channels and has a second side defining a recessed pocket configured to receive a stream of air. A flow guide is disposed in the pocket such that an inlet manifold is formed along a first edge of the flow guide and an outlet manifold is formed along a second edge of the flow guide. The flow guide defines channels extending from the inlet manifold to the outlet manifold. A plurality of openings is defined by through the flow guide.

A bipolar plate for a fuel cell includes an anode plate and a cathode plate. The anode plate has hydrogen flow channels on a first side of the anode plate and coolant channels on a second side of the anode plate. The cathode plate has a first side disposed against the second side of the anode plate to cover the coolant channels and has a second side defining a recessed pocket configured to receive a stream of air. A flow guide is disposed in the pocket such that an inlet manifold is formed along a first edge of the flow guide and an outlet manifold is formed along a second edge of the flow guide. The flow guide defines channels extending from the inlet manifold to the outlet manifold. A plurality of openings is defined by through the flow guide.

A fuel cell may include a first fuel cell bipolar plate defining an air layer, a second fuel cell bipolar plate defining a hydrogen layer, and a coolant layer defined by the air layer and the hydrogen layer. The coolant layer includes a plurality of coolant microchannels that facilitate flow of a coolant. A permeable support layer is arranged between the air layer and the hydrogen layer to define a gap therebetween to prevent flow blockage of the coolant microchannels while facilitating coolant flow therethrough.

A fuel cell that includes an air fuel cell bipolar plate and a hydrogen fuel cell bipolar plate respectively having a Turing-pattern microstructure configuration. The spatial arrangement of the air fuel cell bipolar plate and the hydrogen fuel cell bipolar plate is such that the air layer of the air fuel cell bipolar plate and the hydrogen layer of the hydrogen fuel cell bipolar plate are opposed to each other to define a microstructure configuration for a coolant layer.

The present disclosure provides methods for forming flow plate and frame assemblies that comprise an anode frame member, a flow plate, and cathode frame member with the flow plate retained between the anode and cathode frame members. The present disclosure also provides for flow plate and frame assemblies, fuel cell stacks containing a plurality of the flow plate and frame assemblies, and fuel cell systems containing the fuel cell stacks. A fluidly connected anode fluid pathway can be provided from an anode fluid inlet, through conduits int eh anode frame member, onto an anode surface of the flow plate, and into anode flow channels.

A fuel cell plate comprising a face intended to route a fuel gas or an oxidizing gas to the active surface of a Membrane Electrode Assembly, said face of the plate comprising projecting ribs delimiting a determined number of channels provided for the circulation of gas, the channels having a determined length (LCA) and a determined width (E), the ribs having a determined width (LA), the plate being characterized in that the product P of the total length (LN) of the ribs on the plate per unit of active surface (in cm.sup.2) multiplied by the rate of opening (TO) of the plate is between 4.7 and 10, i.e. that 4.7<P (cm.sup.−1)=LN×TO)/S<10, the rate of opening TO being defined by TO=100.Math.(E/E+LA), the active surface of the plate being the surface of the plate intended to be facing the active surface of the Membrane Electrode Assembly.

A fuel cell separator having high corrosion resistance and electrical conductivity is provided. This fuel cell separator includes, on a substrate, a composite film containing an antimony-doped tin oxide and a tin-doped indium oxide, in which an element ratio of tin to indium (Sn/In) in the composite film is 1.4 or smaller.