Flow field plate of polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells: A review

Abstract

Recently, pursuing a strategic alternative to traditional fossil fuels has become an important method to meet the increasing energy demands and environmental improvement needs. Polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) can directly convert the chemical energy of fuels into electricity without contamination and the restriction of the Carnot cycle effect. The flow field plate (FFP) is a critical part of a PEMFC that provides mechanical support, conductive medium, the channel of reaction gases, and water and thermal management. However, the complicated mechanisms of the FFP are not very clearly understood since the materials and structures are associated closely with cost, performance, and lifetime. In this paper, different materials and structures are analyzed and their characteristics are summarized. Meanwhile, an opinion was proposed that the porous metal foam flow field will be the most promising development direction in the future, mainly focusing on surface treatment, pattern, and manifold design.