Patent ID: 7910040

Claim:
A method for preparing a fuel cell composite bipolar plate, which comprises: a) compounding vinyl ester and graphite powder to form bulk molding compound (BMC) material, the graphite powder content ranging from 60 wt % to 95 wt % based on the total weight of the graphite powder and vinyl ester, wherein 1-20 wt % carbon fiber, 0.5-10 wt % modified organo clay or noble metal plated modified organo clay, 0.5-10 wt % nickel plated carbon fiber or 2.5-40 wt % nickel plated graphite, and one or more conductive fillers selected from the group consisting of 0.1-5 wt % carbon nanotube (CNT), and 2-30 wt % carbon black, based on the weight of the vinyl ester resin, are added during the compounding; b) molding the BMC material from step a) to form a bipolar plate having a desired shaped at 80-200° C. and 500-4000 psi; and wherein said modified organo clay in step a) is prepared by conducting an cationic exchange between a modifier and a clay in an acidic solution, separating the resulting ion-exchanged clay from the acidic solution, and drying the ion-exchanged clay, wherein the modifier is used in a ratio of the modifier to the clay of 0.1-10% by weight.