Advanced Materials for Ultralight PEM Fuel Cell Applications

It is proposed to demonstrate the applicability of advancement materials, that has been developed for aerospace and military applications, to fuel cell technology to lower cost, increase performance, and decrease weight for future man-portable power systems. MER's advanced C-C composites will be investigated as bipolar plates to decrease weight, increase mechanical integrity, decrease resistivity and improve the thermal management of the fuel cell at lower cost than conventional carbon. In addition, MER's cermet composites (TiB(2)/Cu and TiB(2)/Al, etc.) with twice the modulus of steel and half the weight, will be investigated as end plates for the fuel cell to decrease the overall weight and enhance the fuel cell mechanical integrity. These materials will be combined with advanced fuel cell electrodes to eliminate the humidification requirements. Near net shape C-C bipolar plates and cermet end plates will be fabricated, characterized, and they will be evaluated in single cell configurations for electrochemical stability, resistivity, and gas diffusion. A multi-cell stack with the cermet end plate will also be evaluated. The overall concept will be assessed for both technical performance and cost for further development in Phase II.