Complex Micro Machining of an Injection Mold Surface for a Conductive Polymeric Composite Product

Abstract

Hydrogen and fuel cell technologies were identified amongst new renewable energy technologies which contribute strongly to mitigating climate change. Important research activities were directed to the injection molded bipolar plates made by conductive polymeric composites. The mold surface quality can help obtaining better conductivity. In this paper are presented the experiments regarding complex micro-machining of the surfaces of an injection mold for a conductive polymeric composite product by micro-milling and for finishing and cleaning by laser beam micro-machining. The laser ablation consists in removing material from a solid surface by irradiating it with a laser beam, in successive layers in order to achieve complex geometries with accuracy of about micrometres. Injection moulding experiments evidenced the very good replication of the micro-machined surface pattern.