Additive Manufacturing of Bipolar Plates in PEM Electrolyzer for Green Hydrogen Generation

Abstract

Additive manufacturing (AM) technology has gained increasing interest in recent years and has been employed in various industrial fields. One of the potential applications of AM is in producing bipolar plates for green hydrogen production using a proton exchange membrane (PEM) electrolyzer. This paper aims to discuss additive manufacturing technology to construct bipolar plates for green hydrogen production through PEM electrolysis. PEM electrolysis is a promising technology for hydrogen production due to its high efficiency and low energy consumption. A bipolar plate is an essential component of a PEM electrolyzer and plays a significant role in the electrolysis process. The bipolar plate acts as a separator between the anode and cathode compartments and helps distribute the reactants and products to the electrode surfaces. Conventionally, bipolar plates are made of graphite or metals such as stainless steel, titanium, and nickel alloys. However, these materials have limitations such as high cost, low durability, and difficulty in manufacturing complex shapes. The material properties of the bipolar plates play a critical role in the performance of the PEM electrolyzer. The bipolar plates should have high electrical conductivity, good corrosion resistance, and low contact resistance with the electrode surfaces. Several materials have been investigated for producing bipolar plates using AM, including titanium alloys, stainless steel, nickel alloys, and copper. Titanium alloys have excellent corrosion resistance and mechanical properties but are relatively expensive. Stainless steel and nickel alloys are cheaper than titanium but have lower corrosion resistance. Copper has high electrical conductivity but can be prone to corrosion in the harsh PEM electrolysis environment. In conclusion, additive manufacturing can potentially revolutionize the production of bipolar plates for PEM electrolysis. AM techniques such as PBF and BJ can produce complex shapes with high precision and reduce waste compared to conventional manufacturing methods. The material properties of the bipolar plates play a critical role in the performance of the PEM electrolyzer, and various materials and surface treatments have been investigated to improve their properties. However, further research is needed to optimize the AM process parameters, improve the material properties, and reduce the cost of production.