Numerical-experimental study on the Failure Behavior of Graphite-Based Composite Bipolar Plate for PEM fuel cells

In this study, the fracture method is used to numerically and experimentally investigate the bending load of graphite-based composite bipolar plates of polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells. First, simple and perforated composite bipolar plates were tested and simulated to determine flexural stability under static load. Then, mechanical simulation using the finite element method and Abaqus software was used for the numerical analysis. Next, an experimental three-point bending test was performed on the manufactured samples to validate the simulation results. Finally, the results of the numerical and experimental analyzes of the flexural behavior of composite bipolar plates were compared. The results demonstrated that the numerical results acceptably agreed with the experimental data. In addition, the presence of a high percentage of graphite and high fragility weakened the body due to the molecular bond of graphite, which caused the graphite to slip.