Bac2’s new service for custom fuel cell plates 
enables rapid prototyping

Southampton, UK, January 22, 2009: Bac2, the fuel cell materials and components company, has launched a quick-turn service for bipolar plates and end plates manufactured to customer specifications. The service facilitates rapid in-situ evaluation of bipolar plates made from ElectroPhen™, Bac2’s patented conductive polymer. It also aids prototyping of production stacks prior to migrating to fully moulded plates for volume production and cost reduction.

The plates, which are used to interconnect individual fuel cells within a fuel cell stack, can be supplied in sizes up to 200 x 120mm and in thicknesses from 2mm to 5mm, depending on X-Y dimensions. They are firstly moulded as blanks then accurately machined from customers’ CAD files, with all elements undertaken in-house by Bac2 for fast turnaround.

ElectroPhen plates are thermally stable, resilient to temperature and inert towards fuel cell catalysts and membranes. The material has a raw state conductivity one billion times higher than typical resin binders and is produced using commonly available bulk materials. For high volume production, plates are simply moulded and do not require further machining, so offer considerable cost savings over plates made using alternative materials and processes.

Customers in Europe, North and South America, and Asia now use Bac2’s ElectroPhen fuel cell plates.

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Photo caption: Bac2's custom fuel cell plates enable rapid prototyping

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