Graphite Bipolar Plates

We are graphite experts with over 25 years of experience producing optimized bipolar plates for fuel cell and flow battery applications. We offer isostatic and molded graphite composite materials and can provide sealing and bonding for a truly complete and optimized solution.
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Highlights
Material Selection
How We Partner With You

How We Optimize Bipolar Plates

01

Custom Material Development
We actively develop our graphite materials in-house with continuous R&D.  The material properties represent industry state-of-the-art and our scientists will recommend a solution or work with you to develop something novel.

02

High Corrosion Resistance
Our materials all have High Corrosion Resistance so they are not degraded by traditional PEM and DM fuel cells, nor the wide range of chemicals that can be used in redox flow batteries.

03

Ideal Electrical Properties
Graphite bipolar plates have ideal electrical properties for fuel cell or flow battery stacks with Low Electrical Resistance.

04

Long Life Operation
Long Life Operation can be optimized through the material choices and flow channel design decisions. We have experience designing for thermal stability and high-pressure operation.

05

Ultra-Thin Plates and Flow Channels
Ultra-Thin Plates and Precision Machined Flow Channel Dimensions help reduce the overall weight and volume restrictions of the stack.

06

Sealant and Bonding Applications
We can Apply Sealant and Bond the bipolar plates during prototyping and full mass production along with strict pressure testing on all plates.

Popular Materials for Graphite Bipolar Plates

Hongfeng Carbon's Graphite Bipolar Plate Materials

Custom Material Development

Hongfeng Carbon Solutions has a team of scientists who research new materials and ways to enhance the properties of our graphite materials. The graphite used for bipolar plates is commonly impregnated with specialty resins and other materials that can benefit various performance characteristics. We mass-produce these these custom materials in-house with an array of specialized equipment that tightly control the process to ensure uniformity and consistency.

Working with isostatic graphite that is enhanced (impregnated) with the custom resin materials enables a great range of properties that can be optimized for specific fuel cell and flow battery fuels. Working with an experienced partner with tremendous production capacity like Hongfeng Carbon ensures you have the best graphite bipolar plates that are reliably delivered. We have production facilities in multiple countries for secure supply chains and global trade stability.

Graphite Bipolar Plates

Hongfeng Carbon Solutions pioneered ultra-thin graphite bipolar plates in 2003 with excellent performance that dramatically reduced weight and volume of fuel cell stacks giving our partners a competitive advantage. Bipolar plates developed and manufactured by Hongfeng Carbon were utilized for fuel cell transportation during the 2008 Beijing Olympics in China where we became a leader and innovator.

Today, we hold a dozen patents across our graphite bipolar plate materials and technology.  Hongfeng Carbon Solutions provides a global majority of machined graphite bipolar plates including ~95% of the worlds fuel cell forklifts.  Our clients include some of the largest OEM’s in the fuel cell industry spanning USA, EU, and Asia.

Quality and Reliability

Quality and Reliability

We continually optimize our graphite materials and resins to offer superior characteristics and can mass produce bipolar plates with over 20k sqm. (215k sqft.) of manufacturing space including over 240 CNC and CMM machines, dozens of automated 2D and 3D vision systems, and dozens of pressure test benches for water and air testing to ensure no leakage.

All bipolar plates pass through strict quality procedures that typically exceed industry norms. We pressure test plates with water and/or air at 250kpa and are capable of testing up to 1000kpa.
The choice between air-cooled and liquid-cooled bipolar plates depends on the specific application, with each cooling method offering unique advantages and trade-offs. Air-cooled plates are typically used in low-power, portable fuel cell systems where simplicity, weight savings, and cost-effectiveness are prioritized.  Comparatively, liquid-cooled plates are essential for high-power applications, such as automotive fuel cells and stationary power generation, where robust thermal management and sustained performance are critical. Hongfeng Carbon Solutions has advanced manufacturing capabilities, and extensive experience producing both air-cooled and liquid-cooled bipolar plates. Understanding the differences between these two types is essential for optimizing applications across various industries.
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Key Services

Advanced Precision Machining

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The skilled technicians at Hongfeng Carbon Solutions have decades of experience operating the state-of-the-art CNC production equipment across both of our campus's in Shanghai and Tokyo; combing to provide over 22k sqm (>236 sqft.) of production space.

We achieve even the most demanding machining tolerances and maintain a zero-defect culture built on many years of experience partnering with industry leaders. This capability is matched by our use of premium isostatic graphite materials from POCO, Mersen, Toyo Tanso, SGL, and more. We always use the optimal material for each specialty project and have also developed many in-house treatments and composite materials to enhance the performance in key ways.

Let the Hongfeng Carbon Solutions team work with you for prototyping and mass-production of specialty graphite components.
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Comprehensive Testing and Inspection

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Hongfeng Carbon Solutions maintains [ISO 9001 certified] comprehensive quality control testing and inspection processes for the various products and applications we operate. We use exclusively isostatic graphite from premium suppliers to guarantee uniform and consistent material properties. All graphite components we machine undergo 2D and/or 3D imaging systems to confirm all tolerances, and all pieces are cleaned and carefully inspected for flaws.

Specialized quality tests include high pressure testing with liquids and air at levels that exceed industry standards, and ultrasonic cleaning in a 10k level (ISO 7) cleanroom. Hongfeng Carbon operates many custom test equipment's that were exclusively developed for complete and efficient QC procedures for the delivered products.

Talk with our team and receive prototype samples quickly.
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Cleanroom for Ultra-Pure Graphite Applications

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Machined graphite products for the semiconductor industry and many analytical and medical applications requires the use of ultra-pure graphite materials, cleanroom environments, and strict quality control practices. Hongfeng Carbon Solutions has decades of experience serving these industries as the first distributor certified to process the ultra-pure graphite materials from POCO in China [2006].

We have remained a leader and further innovated our material processing techniques to meet new and emerging demands in this market.

Learn about our "volcanic hardening process" to create glassy carbon and vitreous graphite treatments.
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True Innovator with 70+ Patents

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Recognized as an industry pioneer in China, Hongfeng Carbon Solutions developed ultra-thin graphite bipolar plates that powered the fuel cell transportation prior to the 2008 Beijing Olympics. We further became the sole distributor for POCO's high-purity semiconductor graphite material and certified for processing in 2006, and developed a novel PECVD graphite boat that made solar panel (photovoltaic) production more efficient in 2010.

Together, Hongfeng Carbon Solutions holds over 70 patents for materials and utility we have developed in our state-of-the-art campus spanning 32 acres. Our innovations are continuous as we strive to meet new challenges and provide optimized graphite and carbon-based solutions.

Let our experienced team help with your prototype or mass-production challenge; finding the right material and delivering a quality product fast.
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Optimized Graphite Bipolar Plates for Fuel Cells and Flow Batteries

Learn some of the reasons our quality control processes are trusted by clients around the world.
Why does Hongfeng Carbon Solutionsuse isostatic graphite for production?
How does Hongfeng Carbon Solutions inspect components during and after production?
What special steps are followed when producing graphite bipolar plates?
What is the production capacity Hongfeng Carbon Solutions can provide?