{"id":{"repo_id":"vt","oai_identifier":"oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/35835"},"canonical_url":"https://search.dev.ndltd.org/etd/vt/oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/35835","repository":{"repo_id":"vt","name":"Virginia Tech","base_url":"https://vtechworks.lib.vt.edu/oai/request"},"display":{"title":"Investigation of Graphite Bipolar Plates for PEM Fuel Cell Performance","abstract":"The largest cost in manufacturing PEM fuel cells for automotive applications is due to the bipolar plate. The current graphite material used for the bipolar plate is very brittle and difficult to machine to the rigorous specifications needed for fuel cell stacks. This paper introduces the development of a fuel cell test stand for simultaneous testing of six individual fuel cells. To establish a long-term performance evaluation, the fuel cells incorporate a baseline graphite material that undergoes testing in the fuel cell environment. The graphite is an industry standard material that should not corrode when subjected to continual testing. The baseline model will be used in development of novel composite materials that will be tested under the same conditions for comparison to the graphite. Furthermore, the new materials and applied manufacturing methods could reduce the overall cost of fuel cell stacks in the future. Funding for this project was generously donated by the Virginia Center for Innovative Technology and the National Science Foundation.","abstract_html":"The largest cost in manufacturing PEM fuel cells for automotive applications is due to the bipolar plate. The current graphite material used for the bipolar plate is very brittle and difficult to machine to the rigorous specifications needed for fuel cell stacks. This paper introduces the development of a fuel cell test stand for simultaneous testing of six individual fuel cells. To establish a long-term performance evaluation, the fuel cells incorporate a baseline graphite material that undergoes testing in the fuel cell environment. The graphite is an industry standard material that should not corrode when subjected to continual testing. The baseline model will be used in development of novel composite materials that will be tested under the same conditions for comparison to the graphite. Furthermore, the new materials and applied manufacturing methods could reduce the overall cost of fuel cell stacks in the future. Funding for this project was generously donated by the Virginia Center for Innovative Technology and the National Science Foundation.","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Kruszewski, Eric"],"institution":"Virginia Tech","degree_name":"Master of Science","degree_level":"masters","degree_discipline":"Mechanical Engineering","degree_department":"Mechanical Engineering","school":null,"contributors":[],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":["Nelson, Douglas J."],"committee_members":["Ellis, Michael W.","Kander, Ronald G."],"year":2001,"date_issued":"2001-09-07","date_published":"2001-09-07","updated_at":"2026-07-24T05:56:05Z","subjects":["Graphite","Fuel Cells","Bipolar Plates","Test Stand"],"languages":[],"rights":["In Copyright"],"rights_urls":["http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/"],"identifier_entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier.other","label":"Dc Identifier Other","values":["etd-11282001-195935"],"render_values":[{"text":"etd-11282001-195935","href":null,"code":true}]}]},"links":{"outbound_url":"http://hdl.handle.net/10919/35835","outbound_label":"Handle","outbound_source":"dc:identifier.uri"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor.committeechair","label":"Committee Chair","values":["Nelson, Douglas J."]},{"key":"dc:contributor.committeemember","label":"Committee Member","values":["Ellis, Michael W.","Kander, Ronald G."]},{"key":"dc:contributor.department","label":"Department","values":["Mechanical Engineering"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Kruszewski, Eric"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.accessioned","label":"Dc Date Accessioned","values":["2014-03-14T20:48:25Z"]},{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2014-03-14T20:48:25Z","2002-12-04"]},{"key":"dc:date.issued","label":"Date","values":["2001-09-07"]},{"key":"dc:publisher","label":"Institution","values":["Virginia Tech"]},{"key":"dc:type","label":"Dc Type","values":["Thesis"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Mechanical Engineering"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["masters"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Master of Science"]},{"key":"thesis:institution_name","label":"Thesis Institution Name","values":["Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["Graphite","Fuel Cells","Bipolar Plates","Test Stand"]}]},{"id":"language_rights","label":"Language and Rights","entries":[{"key":"dc:rights","label":"Dc Rights","values":["In Copyright"]},{"key":"dc:rights.uri","label":"Rights URI","values":["http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier.other","label":"Dc Identifier Other","values":["etd-11282001-195935"]},{"key":"dc:identifier.uri","label":"Identifier URI","values":["http://hdl.handle.net/10919/35835"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["The largest cost in manufacturing PEM fuel cells for automotive applications is due to the bipolar plate. The current graphite material used for the bipolar plate is very brittle and difficult to machine to the rigorous specifications needed for fuel cell stacks. This paper introduces the development of a fuel cell test stand for simultaneous testing of six individual fuel cells. To establish a long-term performance evaluation, the fuel cells incorporate a baseline graphite material that undergoes testing in the fuel cell environment. The graphite is an industry standard material that should not corrode when subjected to continual testing. The baseline model will be used in development of novel composite materials that will be tested under the same conditions for comparison to the graphite. Furthermore, the new materials and applied manufacturing methods could reduce the overall cost of fuel cell stacks in the future. Funding for this project was generously donated by the Virginia Center for Innovative Technology and the National Science Foundation."]},{"key":"dc:description.degree","label":"Dc Description Degree","values":["Master of Science"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Investigation of Graphite Bipolar Plates for PEM Fuel Cell Performance"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor.committeechair":["Nelson, Douglas J."],"dc:contributor.committeemember":["Ellis, Michael W.","Kander, Ronald G."],"dc:contributor.department":["Mechanical Engineering"],"dc:creator":["Kruszewski, Eric"],"dc:date.accessioned":["2014-03-14T20:48:25Z"],"dc:date.available":["2014-03-14T20:48:25Z","2002-12-04"],"dc:date.issued":["2001-09-07"],"dc:description.abstract":["The largest cost in manufacturing PEM fuel cells for automotive applications is due to the bipolar plate. The current graphite material used for the bipolar plate is very brittle and difficult to machine to the rigorous specifications needed for fuel cell stacks. This paper introduces the development of a fuel cell test stand for simultaneous testing of six individual fuel cells. To establish a long-term performance evaluation, the fuel cells incorporate a baseline graphite material that undergoes testing in the fuel cell environment. The graphite is an industry standard material that should not corrode when subjected to continual testing. The baseline model will be used in development of novel composite materials that will be tested under the same conditions for comparison to the graphite. Furthermore, the new materials and applied manufacturing methods could reduce the overall cost of fuel cell stacks in the future. 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