T...thx for the post, but the information you provided is dated (2012) and the reference in the document that synthetic graphite has been completely replaced (dated 2005) is not accurate as there are still some fuel cell manufacturers that do not use expanded graphite either due to cost, their specific fuel cell applications, or still in R & D phase for proprietary development. I work with commercial producers and my comments are based on direct technical sales and not fully on research documents. Commercial production is the operative focus in my comments.
Agreed there are companies that have developed IP based on expanded graphite composition bipolar plates but also use synthetic graphite powders:
A few examples of fuel cell manufacturers that also use various carbon chemistries including primary and secondary synthetic powders, but also use machined graphite plates for specific fuel cell designs.
1. BMC
2. UTC
3. Johnson Matthey
There are many research and product development documents in the public domain on just about any subject on graphite and I encourage anyone to do their own research as well as consider direct customer sales input from various sources and people.
Below is an excellent presentation from GrafTech International presented at the Fuel Cell Corridor Conference earlier this year discussing bipolar plate development and commercial production using expanded graphite as well as plasma assisted CVD coated SS plates and Ni coated SS plates.
