Hot stamping of ultra-thin stainless steel for microchannels

Abstract. Bipolar plate is one of the core components a proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC), in which microchannels with regular distribution separate and distribute gas at anode oxygen/air cathode, remove reaction products from cell. Dimensional deviations affect assembly accuracy, thereby influencing efficiency performance PEMFC. Ultra-thin stainless steel sheet most commonly used material for bipolar stamping an efficient way to form microchannels. However, challenge faced by process how improve dimensional accuracy Hereby we propose hot ultra-thin sheet, high potential micro-channels. Uniaxial tensile tests are performed room temperature (RT), 300, 600, 900°C 316L (SS316L). Results show that strength SS316L 900 °C decreases significantly compared RT, while elongation approximately 44%. Hot developed, heated resistance heating. Stainless stamped 900°C, 3D profile cross-sectional thickness measured. The measurement results hot-stamped lower than cold stamping, terms channel depth, rib width, wall angle. Furthermore, micro-channels has similar trend as fillet not different (avg. + 1 μm) stamping.