Molding process for making fuel cell components

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11557770-B2
Application number	US-201415121204-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 27, 2014
Priority date	Feb 27, 2014
Publication date	Jan 17, 2023
Grant date	Jan 17, 2023

Abstract

An illustrative method of making a fuel cell component includes obtaining at least one blank plate including graphite and a polymer; establishing a temperature of the blank that is sufficient to maintain the polymer in an at least partially molten state; and applying a compression molding force to the blank until the polymer is essentially solidified to form a plate including a plurality of channels on at least one side of the plate. The blank plate has a central area having a first thickness. The blank plate also has two generally parallel edges on opposite sides of the central area. The edges have a second thickness that is greater than the first thickness.

First claim

We claim:

1. A method of making a fuel cell component, comprising the steps of:
extrusion molding a mixture of a graphite and a polymer to form a first blank plate that has two generally parallel first edges that are thicker than a central portion of the first blank plate; and
a second blank plate that has two generally parallel second edges that are thicker than a central portion of the second blank plate;
establishing a temperature of the blank plates during the extrusion molding that is sufficient to maintain the polymer in a partially molten state;
transferring the blank plates into a compression mold while the temperature is the established temperature;
situating the first blank plate adjacent the second blank plate with the first edges generally perpendicular to the second edges; and
applying a compression molding force to the situated first and second blank plates in the compression mold at least until the polymer essentially solidifies to form a plate including a plurality of channels on at least one side of the plate.

2. A method of making a fuel cell component, comprising:
obtaining a first blank plate that has two generally parallel first edges that are thicker than a central portion of the first blank plate;
obtaining a second blank plate that has two generally parallel second edges that are thicker than a central portion of the second blank plate, the first and second plates each comprising graphite and a polymer;
situating the first blank plate adjacent the second blank plate with the first edges generally perpendicular to the second edges;
establishing a temperature of the blank plates that is sufficient to maintain the polymer in each plate in a partially molten state; and
applying a compression molding force to the situated first and second blank plates at least until the polymer in each blank plate essentially solidifies to form a plate including a plurality of channels on at least one side of the plate.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the polymer comprises fluorinated ethylene propylene (FEP).

4. The method of claim 2 , wherein the graphite comprises flake graphite.

5. The method of claim 2 , wherein the formed plate comprises a bipolar separator plate.

Assignees

• Doosan Fuel Cell America Inc
• Hyaxiom Inc

Inventors

• Breault Richard D
• Tenneti Kishore Kumar

Classifications

• H01M8/0221

  Organic resins; Organic polymers · CPC title

• B29K2023/14

  Copolymers of polypropylene (B29K2023/16 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H01M8/0226

  in the form of mixtures · CPC title

• B29L2031/3468

  Batteries, accumulators or fuel cells (battery cases B29L2031/7146) · CPC title

• H01M8/0213 Primary

  Gas-impermeable carbon-containing materials · CPC title