Functional Coated Mild Steel Bipolar Plates

Costs remain a key challenge to the mass commercialisation of fuel cells. Whilst significant research efforts are focused on reducing the platinum content of the system, the cost contribution of the bipolar plate is becoming more significant. Coated stainless steel substrates are the de facto standard for bipolar plates in PEM fuel cell technology but plate designs that use less expensive materials will provide further opportunity for cost reduction. This project aims to investigate the feasibility of a number of coating technologies to enable a mild steel to function as a bipolar plate which would serve as a cost effective alternative to stainless steel.