Fraunhofer Institute for Environmental, Safety and Energy Technology UMSICHTGreen Hydrogen
Increasing the efficiency and long-term stability of fuel cells
The project “HyCoFC – Long-term Stable Fuel Cell Technology through Innovative Hybrid-Compound Bipolar Plates” aims to develop a hybrid compound bipolar plate consisting of a carrier foil made of low-alloy steel and a conductive compound foil. This combination merges the advantages of both materials: on the one hand, it enables high conductivity and mechanical stability; on the other hand, it can be produced cost-effectively and has a long service life. Bipolar plates are used, for example, in mobile applications such as commercial vehicles, buses and even in aviation, where they are a key component influencing fuel cells' performance and service life and thus contribute to the efficiency and range of fuel cell vehicles.
“The compound film is manufactured using a process patented by Fraunhofer UMSICHT, which enables material-friendly processing,” explains Dr. Michael Joemann, Head of the Electrochemical Energy Storage Department at Fraunhofer UMSICHT. “By selecting suitable input materials and fine-tuning the composition, we can control both the electrical and thermal conductivity and the connection to the carrier film.”
The metallic carrier film is produced by thyssenkrupp Steel. “Our steel foils offer high strength combined with considerable forming potential. By applying a chrome layer to the steel surface, compatibility with the compound foil is improved,” says Tatjana Legchilo, development engineer at thyssenkrupp Steel.
FEV develops and designs the hybrid bipolar plate made of compound and steel foil and the associated cell stack - the so-called fuel cell stack. The project partners hope this hybrid design will reduce costs and ensure a long service life.
The hybrid compound bipolar plate offers a promising solution to the challenges of fuel cell technology. It enables the use of large-format fuel cells for mobile applications such as commercial vehicles and stationary applications. “Thanks to the intensive preparatory work and the extensive experience of our partners, the prospects for success are very positive,” emphasizes Prof. Dr.-Ing. Arnold Gillner, Head of Business Development Research Markets at Fraunhofer ILT.
About the project partners
The project “HyCoFC – Long-term Stable Fuel Cell Technology through Innovative Hybrid-Compound Bipolar Plates” is being carried out by thyssenkrupp Steel, FEV, Schepers, cleanLASER , Fraunhofer UMSICHT and Fraunhofer ILT.
Funding reference
The project “HyCoFC – Long-term Stable Fuel Cell Technology through Innovative Hybrid-Compound Bipolar Plates” is funded by the Ministry of Economic Affairs, Industry, Climate Protection and Energy of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia with resources from the EFRE/JTF-Program NRW (co-financed by the European Union) as part of the innovation competition Energie.IN.NRW. Reference: EFRE-20800355. Duration: 06/15/2024 to 12/31/2027.