A Review of Coating Technologies for Metal Bipolar Plates in Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells

Abstract

Proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) have emerged as a research hotspot in the clean energy sector due to their high efficiency, zero pollution, and rapid startup capabilities. As the core structural component, metal bipolar plates—whose corrosion resistance and electrical conductivity directly determine the battery's performance and commercialization prospects — play a pivotal role. This paper provides a comprehensive review of global advancements in PEMFC metal bipolar plate coating technologies, examining coating material systems, mainstream fabrication processes, performance evaluation methods, and interface failure mechanisms. It also compares the research focuses and technical differences between domestic and international studies. The study identifies key challenges—including immature engineering fabrication processes, insufficient long-term durability validation, lack of unified evaluation standards, and inadequate understanding of interface failure mechanisms — and outlines key future directions such as developing low-cost, high-stability coatings and optimizing large-scale production processes, offering a systematic theoretical framework for the industrial application of this technology.