# US 2019/0319291 A1 · Method Of Making Components For An Electrochemical Cell And An Electrochemical Cell And Cell Stack > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2019/0319291 A1 - Document ID: US20190319291A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 15/950,462 - Filed: 2018-04-11 - Published: 2019-10-17 - Earliest claimed: 2018-04-11 - Assignees: Dana Corporation - Applicants: Dana Limited - Inventors: Christopher M. Cook; Keith C. Henegar; Jack A. Kummerow; Kelly D. Puckett; Eve S. Steigerwalt - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190319291A1 ## CPC - H01M 8/2404: Processes or apparatus for grouping fuel cells - B29C 64/118: using filamentary material being melted, e.g. fused deposition modelling [FDM] - B33Y 10/00: Processes of additive manufacturing - B33Y 70/10: Composites of different types of material, e.g. mixtures of ceramics and polymers or mixtures of metals and biomaterials - B33Y 80/00: Products made by additive manufacturing - H01M 8/0213: Gas-impermeable carbon-containing materials - H01M 8/0221: Organic resins; Organic polymers - H01M 8/0226: in the form of mixtures - H01M 8/0263: having meandering or serpentine paths - H01M 8/1069: characterised by the manufacturing processes - B29K 2101/12: Thermoplastic materials - B29K 2995/0005: Conductive - B29L 2031/3468: {Batteries, accumulators or fuel cells (battery cases B29L2031/7146)} - H01M 6/40: Printed batteries {, e.g. thin film batteries} - Y02E 60/50: Fuel cells - Y02P 70/50: Manufacturing or production processes characterised by the final manufactured product - H01M: PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY - B29C: SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING (making preforms B29B11/00; making laminated products by combining previously unconnected layers which become one product whose layers will remain together B32B37/00 - B32B41/00) - B33Y: ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING, i.e. MANUFACTURING OF THREE-DIMENSIONAL [3D] OBJECTS BY ADDITIVE DEPOSITION, ADDITIVE AGGLOMERATION OR ADDITIVE LAYERING, e.g. BY 3D PRINTING, STEREOLITHOGRAPHY OR SELECTIVE LASER SINTERING - B29K: INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASSES B29B, B29C OR B29D, RELATING TO MOULDING MATERIALS OR TO MATERIALS FOR {MOULDS, } REINFORCEMENTS, FILLERS OR PREFORMED PARTS, e.g. INSERTS - B29L: INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASS B29C, RELATING TO PARTICULAR ARTICLES - Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION - Y02P: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN THE PRODUCTION OR PROCESSING OF GOODS ## Abstract A component for an electrochemical cell is formed by additive manufacturing process. The additive manufacturing process can be repeated to produce fuel cell stack. ## Claims ### Claim at position 1 1-23. (canceled) ### Claim 24 A method of making a component for an electrochemical cell, comprising: a. providing an additive fabrication apparatus for producing 3D objects, the additive fabrication apparatus comprising a support platform having a build area for producing a three-dimensional object on the support platform, and a movable deposition device for depositing a flowable, electrically conductive material on the build area; b. heating the conductive material with a heating device above a first temperature to provide the flowable, conductive material to the deposition device, the flowable material solidifying below a second temperature; c. moving the movable deposition device to sequentially deposit the flowable conductive material on the build area of the support platform to produce a component for an electrochemical cell having at least one channel for transport of media. ### Claim 25 (depends on 24) The method of claim 24, wherein the conductive material is a carbon carrying thermoplastic or thermoset material. ### Claim 26 (depends on 25) The method of claim 25, wherein the carbon carrying thermoplastic material is a carbon coated thermoplastic filament. ### Claim 27 (depends on 24) The method of claim 24, wherein a cross-sectional area of the channel is varied as it is being deposited. ### Claim 28 (depends on 24) The method of claim 24, further comprising using the apparatus to print a plurality of channels in the component and one or more manifolds in communication with the channels. ### Claim 29 (depends on 24) The method of claim 24, further comprising an activation step to cure the conductive material. ### Claim 30 (depends on 24) The method of claim 24, wherein the channel is printed to be a meandering channel traversing from one side across a face of the component to an opposite side of the face and along the length of the face of the component. ### Claim 31 (depends on 30) The method of claim 30, wherein the component is printed to include a first opening at one end of, and in fluid communication with, the meandering channel, and a second opening at another end of, and in fluid communication with, the meandering channel. ### Claim 32 (depends on 24) The method of claim 24, wherein the component is printed to comprise an anode separator plate, a cathode separator plate, and/or a bipolar plate. ### Claim 33 (depends on 32) The method of claim 32, wherein said bipolar plate is printed to comprise two active surfaces on opposite sides of the plate, wherein one active surface faces an anode electrode cell and the opposite side faces a cathode electrode cell. ### Claim 34 (depends on 30) The method of claim 30, wherein said component is printed to comprise an anode separator plate with an anode separator plate meandering channel printed on one side of the anode separator plate and further comprising, adding an electrically insulating material about the anode separator plate, placing a membrane electrode assembly on the anode separator plate, printing a cathode separator plate with initially flowable deposited material on the membrane electrode assembly and the electrically insulating material, wherein said cathode separator plate is printed with a first cathode plate meandering channel on a first side and a second cathode plate meandering channel on a second side. ### Claim 35 (depends on 34) The method of claim 34, further comprising applying energy to one or more of the anode separator plate, the cathode separator plate, the electrically insulating material or the membrane electrode assembly. ### Claim 36 (depends on 35) The method of claim 35, wherein the energy causes the anode separator plate to become flowable so that the membrane electrode assembly becomes embedded in the anode separator plate. ### Claim 37 (depends on 30) The method of claim 30, wherein one or more manifolds printed into the anode and cathode separator plates are printed with a variable cross section to vary the flow rate of fluid within the manifolds. ### Claim 38 A method of making a fuel cell stack, comprising: a. providing an additive fabrication apparatus for producing 3D objects, the additive fabrication apparatus including a support platform for supporting fabrication of a three-dimensional object thereon; b. heating a conductive material above a first temperature to provide flowable conductive material to the deposition mechanism, the flowable material solidifying below a second temperature; c. depositing the flowable material layer upon layer according to the data file to produce a first separator plate supported on the support platform, said first separator plate deposited to have at least one channel for the transport of media therethrough; d. placing a membrane electrode assembly on the deposited first separator plate in contact with the at least one channel of said first separator plate; e. locating a non-electrically conductive material on the first separator plate where the membrane electrode assembly does not extend; f. depositing the flowable material layer upon layer to produce a second separator plate, the second separator plate having at least one channel on a side facing the membrane electrode assembly and at least one channel created by the deposited material on a side opposite the membrane electrode assembly created by the deposited material wherein both channels are for the transport of media; and g. applying energy to one or more of each individual layer as it is being deposited. ### Claim 39 (depends on 38) The method of claim 38, wherein said energy is heat added to at least the non-electrically conductive material so it softens to at least partially embed the membrane electrode assembly therein. ### Claim 40 (depends on 38) The method of claim 38, wherein the conductive material is a carbon coated thermoplastic filament. ### Claim 41 (depends on 38) The method of claim 38, wherein plasma or microwave energy is applied to each individual layer as it is being deposited. ### Claim 42 (depends on 38) The method of claim 38, wherein the at least one channel is deposited to comprise a plurality of meandering channels traversing from one side across a face of the first separator plate to an opposite side of the face and along the length of the face of the first separator plate. ### Claim 43 (depends on 38) The method of claim 38, wherein the first separator plate is deposited to include a first opening at one end of, and in fluid communication with, the plurality of the meandering channels, and a second opening at another end of, and in fluid communication with, the meandering channel. ### Claim 44 (depends on 38) The method of claim 38, wherein one or more manifolds printed into the first and second separator plates are printed with a variable cross section to vary the flow rate of fluid within the manifolds. ### Claim 45 (depends on 38) The method of claim 38, wherein a fastener retainer is embedded into the first separator plate or the second separator plate. ### Claim 46 (depends on 38) The method of claim 38, wherein a sensor is embedded in the first separator plate or the second separator plate. ### Claim 47 (depends on 38) The method of claim 38, further comprising locating a permeation barrier in the second separator plate between the at least one channel on a side facing the membrane electrode assembly and the at least one channel on a side opposite the membrane electrode assembly. ### Claim 48 A method of making an electrochemical cell comprising: printing a component of the electrochemical cell with an additive fabrication apparatus.