PET Metal Bipolar Plates

 Precision Energy and Technology has announced a successful demonstration of its new technology in metal bipolar plates. Through the support of the National Science Foundation, the company has developed several size bipolar plates using a polymer-metal matrix material. These new plates meet the demand of the fuel cell integrators with very thin cross-sections and highly detailed groove structures on both sides of the plate. Unlike other technologies, the grooved design can be independently configured and with this material, design flexibility is nearly unlimited. This demonstration has proven stainless steel plates can be produced at 0.1mm thickness in the groove area with bipolar plates from 25 cm² to 850 cm² in area. At this point only stainless steel bipolar plates have been produced, but copper, titanium, and several other materials are possible. Precision Energy & Technology is also working on a new material (PETALLOY) for high temperature bipolar plates in Solid Oxide Fuel Cell systems.

Precision Energy & Technology’s president, Thomas Willis, believes this technology may be capable of also meeting the large scale bipolar plates used in the phosphoric acid fuel cell industry as well.

The technology can produce repeatable, high volumes at a cost effect rate and that is what makes it attractive. Precision Energy and Technology has generated IP in this area with respect to corrosion improvements and assembly methods.

The company plans to present some of its samples to the Air Force Research Laboratory- Materials & Manufacturing for their evaluation, as the demand for new methods of producing this type of large plate may be of interest.

Precision Energy & Technology is an alternative energy company located in Dayton, Ohio. The company was started in 2005 with a focus on fuel cell components, fuel cell manufacturing technology, educational fuel cells, hydrogen generation components, carbon nanofiber electrodes, and other specialize materials for the alternative energy industry. If you have any questions regarding metal bipolar plates or other fuel cell components, please contact Thomas Willis, PE  at  937-558-2708.