Methods for manufacturing unipolar and bipolar plates for fuel cells

A method for manufacturing a bipolar plate for a fuel cell, the method comprising:

• forming a first half-plate and a second half-plate by:
• stamping a metal substrate to form a plurality of flow channels and a plurality of beads projecting from a first surface of the metal substrate, wherein the plurality of beads include a peripheral bead and one or more aperture beads, each aperture bead being proximate to one or more aperture locations, and wherein each bead has a convex surface and a concave surface;
• and
• subsequent to stamping the plurality of beads, compressing the plurality of beads in a die such that the cross-sectional perimeter of each bead is reduced;
• prior to, during, or after forming each respective half-plate, trimming each of the first half-plate and the second half-plate at the respective one or more aperture locations of each plate to form one or more apertures;
• and
• subsequent to compressing each of the first half-plate and the second half-plate, joining the first half-plate and the second half-plate such that at least portions of a second side of the first half-plate are contiguous with at least portions of a second side of the second half-plate, and the one or more aperture locations of the first half-plate align with the one or more aperture locations of the second half-plate.

A method for manufacturing a bipolar plate for a fuel cell, the method comprising:

• forming a first half-plate and a second half-plate by:
• stamping a metal substrate to form at least one bead projecting from a first surface of the metal substrate, wherein each bead has a convex surface and a concave surface;
• subsequent to stamping the plurality of beads, compressing the at least one bead in a die such that the cross-sectional perimeter of each bead is reduced, wherein the convex surface and the concave surface of each bead are at least partially contacted by the die during compression;
• subsequent to compressing each of the first half-plate and the second half-plate, joining the first half-plate and the second half-plate such that a second side of the first half-plate is contiguous with a second side of the second half-plate prior to, during, or after forming each respective half-plate, trimming the metal substrate at one or more aperture locations to form one or more apertures;
• and
• subsequent to compressing, applying a microseal to at least a portion of the convex surface of the at least one bead.