Cost and performance prospects for composite bipolar plates in fuel cells and redox flow batteries

Carbon polymer-composite bipolar plates (BPP) are suitable for fuel cell and flow battery applications. The advantages of both components are combined in a product with high electrical conductivity and good processability in convenient polymer forming processes. In a comprehensive techno-economic analysis of materials and production processes cost factors are quantified. For the first time a technical cost model for BPP is set up with tight integration of material characterization measurements. (C) 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.