In this study, bipolar plates were molded by conventional injection molding (CIM) and injection-compression molding (ICM). Two materials were used. One of them was made of poly phenylene sulfide (PPS) blended with 50 wt.% carbon fiber (CF), and the other was poly phenylene sulfide (PPS) blended with 20 wt. % CF and 30 wt.% graphite (GF). The throughplane resistance (TPR) was one important performance of the bipolar plate measured by the contact resistance method. The distribution and orientation of the carbon fiber and graphite were affected by the different molding conditions and also affected the performance of bipolar plate; therefore, a micrograph of specimen was captured by scanning electronic microscopy (SEM). The results show that the TPR values are lower with increased mold temperature, melt temperature, holding pressure in CIM and initial open gap in ICM. By the same token, increased injection velocity would raise TPR values. If the optimum molding parameters from experiments are chosen, TPR value can be reduced by 45% in CIM and 64% in ICM. With 30% graphite added, TPR would be reduced by 88%.
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