Fabrication Of Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell Bipolar Plates By Selective Laser Sintering

David Bourell Temple Foundation Professor The University of Texas at Austin Presented is a new manufacturing technique involving Selective Laser Sintering (SLS) for fabrication of proton exchange membrane fuel cell bipolar plates. A material system for bipolar plate fabrication was identified to satisfy both the cell performance requirements and SLS operation restrictions. The structure of the constituent powders and the fabrication process will be described. Carbonization and liquid epoxy infiltration are necessary following the completion of the SLS green part. The finished SLS bipolar plate showed impressive surface finish and mechanical strength, and a single fuel cell was assembled with two SLS end plates and membrane electrode assembly in between. Computational modeling (FLUENT) of various bipolar plate channel designs will be compared to experimentally prepared samples. This research was funded by the State of Texas Technology Development and Transfer Program (Grant number 003658) and the U.S. Office of Naval Research (Grant number N000140010334).

Location: Stauffer Science Lecture Hall, SLH, Room 100

Audiences: Everyone Is Invited

Contact: April Mundy