US 12,424,639 B2
Fuel cell having bipolar plates with multi-layered dehomogenized turing-pattern microstructure configuration
Yuqing Zhou, Ann Arbor, MI (US); Ercan M. Dede, Ann Arbor, MI (US); and Tsuyoshi Nomura, Tokyo (JP)
Assigned to TOYOTA MOTOR ENGINEERING & MANUFACTURING NORTH AMERICA, INC., Plano, TX (US)
Filed by Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc, Plano, TX (US)
Filed on Oct. 30, 2020, as Appl. No. 17/085,413.
Prior Publication US 2022/0140360 A1, May 5, 2022
Int. Cl. H01M 8/10 (2016.01); H01M 8/0258 (2016.01); H01M 8/0267 (2016.01)
CPC H01M 8/0267 (2013.01) [H01M 8/0258 (2013.01)] 13 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A fuel cell, comprising:
a membrane electrode assembly;
a first fuel cell bipolar plate, having a first dehomogenized Turing-pattern microstructure configuration that facilitates flow of a first fluid along, through, and contacting the first dehomogenized Turing-pattern microstructure configuration; and
a second fuel cell bipolar plate, having a second dehomogenized Turing-pattern microstructure configuration that facilitates flow of a second fluid along, through, and contacting the second dehomogenized Turing-pattern microstructure configuration,
wherein the first fuel cell bipolar plate and the second fuel cell bipolar plate are spatially arranged in a stacked formation such that the first dehomogenized Turing-pattern microstructure configuration and the second dehomogenized Turing-pattern microstructure configuration are opposed to define a third dehomogenized Turing-pattern microstructure configuration that includes at least one channel that facilitates flow of a third fluid along, through, and directly contacting the third dehomogenized Turing-pattern microstructure configuration so as to directly contact the first fuel cell bipolar plate and the second fuel cell bipolar plate plate,
wherein one of the first fuel cell bipolar plate and the second fuel cell bipolar plate comprises an anode,
wherein the other of the first fuel cell bipolar plate and the second fuel cell bipolar plate comprises a cathode, and
wherein the first Turing-pattern microstructure configuration comprises a plurality of large air channels extending from an air inlet of the air fuel cell bipolar plate for fluidic connection to a plurality of smaller air channels in a dendritic arrangement, and the plurality of large air channels extend toward a middle region of the air fuel cell bipolar plate, and transition into the plurality of smaller air channels along a diagonal line of the air fuel cell bipolar plate.