METALLIC BIPOLAR PLATES VACUUM COATING EQUIPMENT & TECHNOLOGIESMETALLICBIPOLAR PLATESVACUUM COATING EQUIPMENT &TECHNOLOGIESMINIMIZE YOUR MANUFACTURING COSTS
WITH HIGHLY PRODUCTIVE COATING SOLUTIONS
For metallic bipolar plates
As a manufacturer of bipolar plates for PEM fuel cell systems
and electrolyzers, you are faced with the challenge of meetingthe needs of a rapidly growing market. In addition, you have thetask of raising the industrialization of your processes to a newlevel.

Corrosion protection & long lifetimethrough electro­chemical & mechanical resistance

We offer you ideal solutions for cost-effective and highly productive manufacturing, tailored to your current and futurerequirements.
Our coating systems are based on platforms that allow you toscale from research and development to large-scale production.

Improved conductivity
due to reduced interfacial contact resistance (ICR)

Advantages of bipolar plate coating
Bipolar plates should be as durable, conductive and cost-effective as possible. To meet these requirements, metallic bipolar
plates are coated with functional layers. PVD technologies are
typically used for this purpose.
For the PEM fuel cell, we went one step further and developed
and validated our own carbon-based layer stacks. The aim wasto meet the demanding range of requirements for bipolar platecoating in an optimal and scalable way.
We will support you from the research and development phaseto the establishment of an industrial coating solution for bipolarplates.

Scalable processes
from R&D to mass production at low cost of ownership

COATING OPTIONSCOATINGS FOR METAL STRIP & BIPOLAR PLATESTo offer you optimal pre- and post-coating solutions, we combine our equipment and PVD technology portfolio.
Pre-coating describes the coating of metal strip straight from the coil and focuses on high productivity at unrivaled
low cost.
Post-coating, on the other hand, is a more conservative coating approach. Here, completely welded bipolar plates
are coated on both outer surfaces while avoiding any interaction of the coating with the forming and welding
process.
A third alternative is mid-coating, which means that anode and cathode halfplates are coated after the forming
process but prior to their assembly into a bipolar plate.

from standardized platforms to individual solutions that are tailored to your needs. This portfolio ranges from R&D
over pilot to high-volume production equipment for the coating of strip material (roll-to-roll, R2R) and plates (sheetto-sheet, S2S).
In addition, we offer to discuss your coating requirements with you and to adapt our coater concepts to perfectly
match your plate designs and production volumes. Beyond that, we can calculate the total cost of ownership foryou.

MSC1250 A2A

HISS

Metal Strip Coating System

Horizontal Coating System

MSC500B

XEA|NOVA® L

Metal Strip Coating System

Inline Coating System

Fuel Cell Stack

EQUIPMENT SOLUTIONS

For the coating of PEM fuel cell and electrolyzer bipolar plates, we can provide a wide range of PVD equipment -PERFORMANCE

COATINGS FOR PEM FUEL CELLS
Our carbon-based layer stacks for PEM fuel cell ap­pli­cations are opti­mized for a low inter­facial contact resistance(ICR), good ad­hesion and high corrosion resistance. The ICR, corrosion performance and durability of these layer
stacks are comparable to the gold reference coating and have been qualified by re­nowned testing institutes.

Electrochemical corrosion test with Fraunhofer ISE
VON ARDENNE carbon coatings arecorrosion resis­tant at fuel cell potential. Even after exposure tohigher potentials, they show low
contact resistance, similar to a goldcoating.

Accelerated stress test (AST) with ZBTIn the accelerated stress test, theper­formance of VON ARDENNE
coatings (pre- and post-coating) can
also reach the per­formance of a
PVD gold coating.

COATINGS FOR PEM ELECTROLYZERSVON ARDENNE also offers precious metal coatings for PEM electrolyzer applications. These coatings reduce interfacial contact / through-plane resistance (ICR/TPR) and provide corrosion protection at electrolysis anode potential.

JOINT TESTING, SAMPLING & IMPROVEMENTFROM SIMULATION TO PILOT PRODUCTION
Sampling & Layer Development
With a wide range of equipment
In our Technology & Application Center, we work with you andfor you on the next generation of your coating applications.

Gaining knowledge through simulationof layer composition & properties

From the simulation of layer stacks and their functionality, tosample production on a laboratory and pilot scale, to the measurement and evaluation of coating and substrate properties, weare prepared to meet a wide range of requirements. This gives
you the opportunity to test the function of the coating for your

Sampling & qualification of properties

from a single source

product in advance on relevant sample sizes.

Targeted integration of coating steps
into your value chain

Technology & Application Center Dresden

YOUR CONTACT
Alexander Wemme

Susann Puppe

Vice President Energy

Sales & BusinessConversion & Storage

Development Manager

VON ARDENNE GmbHVON ARDENNE GmbH +49 351 2637 177

 +49 351 2637 9748

Pictures: VON ARDENNE Corporate Archive, VON ARDENNE Family Archive, shutterstock.com. © All rights reserved. ENGLISH 04/2024