Materials and flow fields of bipolar plates in polymer electrolyte membrane water electrolysis: A review

Hydrogen serves as an efficient energy vector with advantages such as high energy density, greenness, and cleanliness. Hydrogen generation from water electrolysis with renewable energy is an effective approach for achieving renewable energy consumption and green hydrogen energy production. Polymer e...

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Main Authors: Yulin Wang, Zhenyu Wang, Jianan Qiao, Hua Li, Xiaodong Wang, Bo Cao, Tingting Zhu, Benxi Zhang, Meimei Wang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-06-01
Series:Energy Reviews
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2772970225000033
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author Yulin Wang
Zhenyu Wang
Jianan Qiao
Hua Li
Xiaodong Wang
Bo Cao
Tingting Zhu
Benxi Zhang
Meimei Wang
author_facet Yulin Wang
Zhenyu Wang
Jianan Qiao
Hua Li
Xiaodong Wang
Bo Cao
Tingting Zhu
Benxi Zhang
Meimei Wang
author_sort Yulin Wang
collection DOAJ
description Hydrogen serves as an efficient energy vector with advantages such as high energy density, greenness, and cleanliness. Hydrogen generation from water electrolysis with renewable energy is an effective approach for achieving renewable energy consumption and green hydrogen energy production. Polymer electrolyte membrane water electrolysis (PEMWE) is capable of presenting the merits of high current density, high productivity, superior gas purity, low energy consumption and high safety. The development of PEMWE is an important part of achieving the coupling of renewable energy, electric energy and hydrogen energy. As a crucial component of PEMWE, bipolar plates (BPs) constitute the mechanical support of the whole cell and provide a channel for electron transport and material supply. These channels determine the electrochemical and hydrodynamic response of a PEMWE. This work reviews the latest developments and applications of BPs, with a focus on the challenges of flow field structure and material fabrication. The specific content covers the BP matrix, types of surface layers, and effect of flow field design on mass transfer. Extended-term growth and feasibility studies of BPs, which can provide a reference and guidance for the configuration of high-behavior flow fields in PEMWEs in the long run, are envisioned.
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institution Kabale University
issn 2772-9702
language English
publishDate 2025-06-01
publisher Elsevier
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series Energy Reviews
spelling doaj-art-13d62668f4e0479ca7e467ea84e9023d2025-08-20T03:30:04ZengElsevierEnergy Reviews2772-97022025-06-014210013210.1016/j.enrev.2025.100132Materials and flow fields of bipolar plates in polymer electrolyte membrane water electrolysis: A reviewYulin Wang0Zhenyu Wang1Jianan Qiao2Hua Li3Xiaodong Wang4Bo Cao5Tingting Zhu6Benxi Zhang7Meimei Wang8Tianjin Key Lab of Refrigeration Technology, Tianjin University of Commerce, Tianjin, 300134, China; Key Laboratory of Advanced Fuel Cells and Electrolyzers Technology of Zhejiang Province, Ningbo, 315200, China; Ningbo Institute of Material Technology and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Ningbo, Zhejiang Province, 315200, ChinaTianjin Key Lab of Refrigeration Technology, Tianjin University of Commerce, Tianjin, 300134, ChinaTianjin Key Lab of Refrigeration Technology, Tianjin University of Commerce, Tianjin, 300134, ChinaKey Laboratory of Advanced Fuel Cells and Electrolyzers Technology of Zhejiang Province, Ningbo, 315200, China; Ningbo Institute of Material Technology and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Ningbo, Zhejiang Province, 315200, ChinaResearch Center of Engineering Thermophysics, North China Electric Power University, Beijing, 102206, ChinaBohai New Energy (Hefei) Co., Ltd, Hefei, 230000, ChinaDepartment of Thermal and Fluid Engineering, University of Twente, 7522NB, Enschede, the NetherlandsTechnical Institute of Physics and Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Zhong guan cun East Road, Haidian District, Beijing, 100190, China; Corresponding author.Tianjin Key Lab of Refrigeration Technology, Tianjin University of Commerce, Tianjin, 300134, China; Corresponding author.Hydrogen serves as an efficient energy vector with advantages such as high energy density, greenness, and cleanliness. Hydrogen generation from water electrolysis with renewable energy is an effective approach for achieving renewable energy consumption and green hydrogen energy production. Polymer electrolyte membrane water electrolysis (PEMWE) is capable of presenting the merits of high current density, high productivity, superior gas purity, low energy consumption and high safety. The development of PEMWE is an important part of achieving the coupling of renewable energy, electric energy and hydrogen energy. As a crucial component of PEMWE, bipolar plates (BPs) constitute the mechanical support of the whole cell and provide a channel for electron transport and material supply. These channels determine the electrochemical and hydrodynamic response of a PEMWE. This work reviews the latest developments and applications of BPs, with a focus on the challenges of flow field structure and material fabrication. The specific content covers the BP matrix, types of surface layers, and effect of flow field design on mass transfer. Extended-term growth and feasibility studies of BPs, which can provide a reference and guidance for the configuration of high-behavior flow fields in PEMWEs in the long run, are envisioned.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2772970225000033Polymer electrolyte membrane water electrolysisBipolar plate materialsCorrosion coatingsFlow field design
spellingShingle Yulin Wang
Zhenyu Wang
Jianan Qiao
Hua Li
Xiaodong Wang
Bo Cao
Tingting Zhu
Benxi Zhang
Meimei Wang
Materials and flow fields of bipolar plates in polymer electrolyte membrane water electrolysis: A review
Energy Reviews
Polymer electrolyte membrane water electrolysis
Bipolar plate materials
Corrosion coatings
Flow field design
title Materials and flow fields of bipolar plates in polymer electrolyte membrane water electrolysis: A review
title_full Materials and flow fields of bipolar plates in polymer electrolyte membrane water electrolysis: A review
title_fullStr Materials and flow fields of bipolar plates in polymer electrolyte membrane water electrolysis: A review
title_full_unstemmed Materials and flow fields of bipolar plates in polymer electrolyte membrane water electrolysis: A review
title_short Materials and flow fields of bipolar plates in polymer electrolyte membrane water electrolysis: A review
title_sort materials and flow fields of bipolar plates in polymer electrolyte membrane water electrolysis a review
topic Polymer electrolyte membrane water electrolysis
Bipolar plate materials
Corrosion coatings
Flow field design
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2772970225000033
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