Abstract: A bipolar plate is provided which is constructed of a composite material including at least thirty percent carbon and up to seventy percent of a flowable resin. The material is flowed into a mold and hardened, preferably by heat or catalyst, to form the bipolar plate. The resin is preferably a polyester resin which, along with the carbon, can function effectively within a bipolar plate of a fuel cell. A method for forming bipolar plates from a composite material including carbon and a flowable resin, by flowing the material into a mold, is also provided. Specific compositions for the composite material are also provided.

Abstract: The invention is an electrically insulative aqueous polymer composition. The composition includes a thermoplastic acrylic-styrene copolymer emulsion, a wetting agent, water, a surfactant, and a ductility agent. The invention also includes methods of using the electrically insulative composition, as well as methods of using a related electrically conductive aqueous polymeric vehicular emulsion composition.

Abstract: The invention includes a proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) comprising at least one fuel cell assembly. The fuel cell assembly includes a membrane electrode assembly interposed between an anode separator and a cathode separator. The membrane electrode assembly comprises a proton exchange membrane interposed between an anode and a cathode, each electrode comprising an electrocatalyst. The anode and cathode separators contain the flow field features necessary to communicate the fuel and oxidant, respectively, to their respective electrodes. A heat transfer separator may be integrated into the fuel cell assembly. Each separator is made up of a series of conductive compression gaskets that distribute fuel, oxidant and heat transfer fluid throughout the fuel cell. Under mechanical load, the respective series of compression gaskets are consolidated into fuel cell separators with sufficient structural integrity to seal the PEMFC fluids.

Abstract: The disclosed invention is an electrically conductive aqueous polymeric vehicular emulsion containing suspended electrically conductive material. The method for producing said composition and correlated compositions is also disclosed. The present invention is intended for an extensive range of applications, from EMI shielding to complex three-dimensional printed circuitry to electrochemical fuel cell sealants. The electrically conductive composition can also be altered to produce an electrically insulative composition.

Abstract: A novel electrochemical fuel cell comprising at least one fuel cell assembly comprising a Membrane Electrode Assembly (MEA) interposed between an anode separator and a cathode separator. The Membrane Electrode Assembly comprises a solid polymer electrolyte or Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) interposed between an anode and a cathode, each electrode comprising electrocatalyst. The anode separator contains the fuel flow field distribution features necessary to communicate the fuel to said anode. The cathode separator contains the oxidant flow field distribution features necessary to communicate the oxidant to said cathode. In addition, a Heat Transfer (HT) separator may be integrated into said fuel cell assembly. The Heat Transfer separator contains the flow field distribution features necessary to communicate Heat Transfer Fluid (HTF) through a Heat Transfer Zone (HTZ) in said fuel cell assembly in order to control the thermal conditions of the fuel cell assembly and stack.

Abstract: The disclosed invention is an electrically conductive aqueous polymeric vehicular emulsion containing suspended electrically conductive material. The method for producing said composition and correlated compositions is also disclosed. The present invention is intended for an extensive range of applications, from EMI shielding to complex three-dimensional printed circuitry to electrochemical fuel cell sealants. The electrically conductive composition can also be altered to produce an electrically insulative composition.