A review of lightweight bionic sandwich and additive structural designs for hydrogen fuel cell bipolar plates
Abstract
Bipolar plates (BPs) constitute the primary structural and functional components of proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs), accounting for approximately 60%–80% of the total stack weight and 30%–45% of the total cost. The lightweight design of bipolar plates has emerged as a critical research frontier for enhancing the gravimetric power density and commercial viability of hydrogen fuel cell systems. This review comprehensively examines the state-of-the-art advancements in lightweight bionic sandwich structures and additive manufacturing technologies for fuel cell bipolar plates. The discussion encompasses five interconnected domains: (1) the fundamental challenges and design criteria for lightweight bipolar plates in PEMFC applications; (2) bionic-inspired sandwich structures, including honeycomb and corrugated configurations inspired by natural biological structures; (3) topology optimization and lattice-based lightweight designs enabled by advanced computational methods; (4) additive manufacturing technologies, particularly laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) and selective laser melting (SLM) for metallic bipolar plate fabrication; and (5) composite material strategies and hybrid structural approaches for achieving optimal weight-to-performance ratios. Through systematic analysis of recent literature, this review identifies that bio-inspired vertical honeycomb sandwich (BVHS) structures fabricated via LPBF can achieve specific energy absorption improvements of 56.99% and specific bending strength enhancements of 46.91% compared to conventional configurations. Furthermore, additive manufacturing enables the realization of complex three-dimensional flow fields that enhance reactant distribution uniformity and water management capabilities. The integration of bionic design principles with additive manufacturing technologies offers promising pathways for developing next-generation lightweight bipolar plates that satisfy the stringent requirements of automotive, aerospace, and portable power applications. This review provides theoretical guidance and technical references for the design and manufacturing of advanced lightweight bipolar plate structures.