Patent ID: 8735016

Claim:
An electrically conductive fluid distribution plate comprising: a plate body defining a set of fluid flow channels configured to distribute flow of a fluid across at least one side of the plate; and a composite conductive coating having a water contact angle of less than 40° adhered to the plate body, the composite coating, comprising: a polymeric conductive layer adhered to the plate body, the polymeric conductive layer having an exterior surface; and a particulate carbon layer adhered to the exterior surface of the polymeric conductive layer wherein the particulate carbon layer is a carbon black layer comprising a plurality of carbon black particles dispersed on the exterior surface of the polymeric conductive layer, the carbon black particles having a particle size between 0.05 μm and 0.2 μm and a mesopore to micropore ratio of 5:1 to 40:1, the carbon black layer comprising at least one of acetylene black, furnace black, and combinations thereof.