Contact plate for fuel cells

US8053141B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• REINZ-DICHTUNGS-GMBH · DE

Inventors

• Dieter Grafl · Ulm, DE
• Raimund Stroebel · Neu-Ulm, DE
• Lothar Quick · Nersingen, DE
• Joachim Scherer · Ulm, DE
• Christian Schleier · Sehnde, DE
• Bernd Gaugler · Ulm, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Feb 25, 2005
• Grant date: Nov 8, 2011
• Expiry date: Dec 20, 2028

Classification

• Technology area (CPC Y): Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
• CPC primary: Y02P70/50
• WIPO field: Electrical machinery, apparatus, energy
• WIPO sector: Electrical engineering

Abstract

The present invention relates to a contact plate for fuel cells with a coherent active area (11) on at least one side of the contact plate, wherein the active area (11) consists of a contact surface (2) which over the whole surface comprises a coating (4) of an electrically conductive, corrosion-resistant material, and of recesses (3) so that the recesses (3) form a channel structure, wherein the coating (4) furthermore at least in the bottom regions (5) of the recesses (3) is omitted. The invention further relates to a corresponding fuel cell or to a fuel cell stack with at least one such contact plate as well as to various methods for manufacturing such contact plates which may serve as bipolar plates as well as monopolar plates or end plates. With the contact plate according to the invention, one achieves an optimally reduced contact resistance with a minimal material expense for the coating (4).