{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,27]],"date-time":"2026-04-27T14:40:08Z","timestamp":1777300808166,"version":"3.51.4"},"reference-count":52,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"7","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2019,7,23]],"date-time":"2019-07-23T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1563840000000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100001871","name":"Funda\u00e7\u00e3o para a Ci\u00eancia e a Tecnologia","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","award":["PTDC\/EMS-TEC\/0702\/2014"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["PTDC\/EMS-TEC\/0702\/2014"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100001871","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]},{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100001871","name":"Funda\u00e7\u00e3o para a Ci\u00eancia e a Tecnologia","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","award":["PTDC\/EMS-TEC\/6400\/2014"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["PTDC\/EMS-TEC\/6400\/2014"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100001871","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Metals"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Thin stamped bipolar plates (BPPs) are viewed as promising alternatives to traditional graphite BPPs in proton exchange membrane fuel cells. Metallic BPPs provide good thermal\/electrical conductivity and exhibit high mechanical strength, to support the loads within the stack. However, BPPs manufactured by stamping processes are prone to defects. In this study, the effect of the tool\u2019s geometry on the thin sheet formability is investigated through finite element simulation. Despite the broad variety of flow field designs, most of BPPs comprise two representative zones. Hence, in order to reduce the computational cost, the finite element analysis is restricted to these two zones, where the deformation induced by the stamping tools is investigated. The channel\/rib width, the punch\/die fillet radii, and the channel depth are the parameters studied. The analysis is conducted for a stainless steel SS304 with a thickness of 0.15 mm. The results show that the maximum value of thinning occurs always in the U-bend channel section, specifically in the fillet radius of the die closest to the axis of revolution.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/met9070810","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2019,7,23]],"date-time":"2019-07-23T10:44:51Z","timestamp":1563878691000},"page":"810","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":28,"title":["Numerical Study on the Formability of Metallic Bipolar Plates for Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) Fuel Cells"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"9","author":[{"given":"Diogo M.","family":"Neto","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"CEMMPRE, Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Coimbra, Rua Lu\u00eds Reis Santos, Pinhal de Marrocos, 3030-788 Coimbra, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-8032-7262","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Marta C.","family":"Oliveira","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"CEMMPRE, Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Coimbra, Rua Lu\u00eds Reis Santos, Pinhal de Marrocos, 3030-788 Coimbra, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-8714-4880","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Jos\u00e9 L.","family":"Alves","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"CMEMS, Microelectromechanical Systems Research Unit, University of Minho, Campus de Azur\u00e9m, 4800-058 Guimar\u00e3es, Portugal"}]},{"given":"Lu\u00eds F.","family":"Menezes","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"CEMMPRE, Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Coimbra, Rua Lu\u00eds Reis Santos, Pinhal de Marrocos, 3030-788 Coimbra, Portugal"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2019,7,23]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"235","DOI":"10.1016\/S0360-3199(01)00131-8","article-title":"Hydrogen futures: Toward a sustainable energy system","volume":"27","author":"Dunn","year":"2002","journal-title":"Int. J. Hydrogen Energy"},{"key":"ref_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"981","DOI":"10.1016\/j.apenergy.2010.09.030","article-title":"A review of polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells: Technology, applications, and needs on fundamental research","volume":"88","author":"Wang","year":"2011","journal-title":"Appl. Energy"},{"key":"ref_3","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.1155\/2012\/828070","article-title":"A Review of Metallic Bipolar Plates for Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells: Materials and Fabrication Methods","volume":"2012","author":"Karimi","year":"2012","journal-title":"Adv. Mater. Sci. Eng."},{"key":"ref_4","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"509","DOI":"10.1016\/j.energy.2014.12.007","article-title":"Barriers of scaling-up fuel cells: Cost, durability and reliability","volume":"80","author":"Wang","year":"2015","journal-title":"Energy"},{"key":"ref_5","unstructured":"DOE (2009). Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Activities, Progress, and Plans."},{"key":"ref_6","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1297","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ijhydene.2005.04.016","article-title":"Bipolar plates for PEM fuel cells: A review","volume":"30","author":"Hermann","year":"2005","journal-title":"Int. J. Hydrogen Energy"},{"key":"ref_7","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"21127","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ijhydene.2014.08.113","article-title":"Design and manufacturing of stainless steel bipolar plates for proton exchange membrane fuel cells","volume":"39","author":"Peng","year":"2014","journal-title":"Int. J. Hydrogen Energy"},{"key":"ref_8","unstructured":"Barbir, F. (2005). PEM Fuel Cells: Theory and Practice, Elsevier Academic."},{"key":"ref_9","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"370","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jpowsour.2014.04.081","article-title":"A review of composite and metallic bipolar plates in proton exchange membrane fuel cell: Materials, fabrication, and material selection","volume":"265","author":"Taherian","year":"2014","journal-title":"J. Power Sources"},{"key":"ref_10","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"13770","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ijhydene.2014.01.201","article-title":"Investigation of stamping process of metallic bipolar plates in PEM fuel cell\u2014Numerical simulation and experiments","volume":"39","author":"Hu","year":"2014","journal-title":"Int. J. Hydrogen Energy"},{"key":"ref_11","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"223","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jpowsour.2007.12.037","article-title":"Flow channel shape optimum design for hydroformed metal bipolar plate in PEM fuel cell","volume":"178","author":"Peng","year":"2008","journal-title":"J. Power Sources"},{"key":"ref_12","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"3529","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jpowsour.2009.12.046","article-title":"Fabrication of metallic bipolar plate for proton exchange membrane fuel cells by rubber pad forming","volume":"195","author":"Liu","year":"2010","journal-title":"J. Power Sources"},{"key":"ref_13","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"158","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jpowsour.2011.09.065","article-title":"The fabrication of high-aspect-ratio micro-flow channels on metallic bipolar plates using die-sinking micro-electrical discharge machining","volume":"198","author":"Hung","year":"2012","journal-title":"J. Power Sources"},{"key":"ref_14","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1115","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jpowsour.2008.07.087","article-title":"Simulation and fabrication of micro-scaled flow channels for metallic bipolar plates by the electrochemical micro-machining process","volume":"185","author":"Lee","year":"2008","journal-title":"J. Power Sources"},{"key":"ref_15","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"192","DOI":"10.3390\/met5010192","article-title":"Vacuum Die Casting Process and Simulation for Manufacturing 0.8 mm-Thick Aluminum Plate with Four Maze Shapes","volume":"5","author":"Jin","year":"2015","journal-title":"Metals"},{"key":"ref_16","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"3632","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ijhydene.2010.01.059","article-title":"Corrosion of metal bipolar plates for PEM fuel cells: A review","volume":"35","author":"Antunes","year":"2010","journal-title":"Int. J. Hydrogen Energy"},{"key":"ref_17","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"725","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jpowsour.2007.05.089","article-title":"Feasibility investigations on a novel micro-manufacturing process for fabrication of fuel cell bipolar plates: Internal pressure-assisted embossing of micro-channels with in-die mechanical bonding","volume":"172","author":"Mahabunphachai","year":"2007","journal-title":"J. Power Sources"},{"key":"ref_18","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"5269","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jpowsour.2010.03.018","article-title":"Effect of manufacturing processes on formability and surface topography of proton exchange membrane fuel cell metallic bipolar plates","volume":"195","author":"Mahabunphachai","year":"2010","journal-title":"J. Power Sources"},{"key":"ref_19","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1247","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jechem.2018.02.020","article-title":"Sulfonated fluorinated multi-block copolymer hybrid containing sulfonated (poly ether ether ketone) and graphene oxide: A ternary hybrid membrane architecture for electrolyte applications in proton exchange membrane fuel cells","volume":"27","author":"Kim","year":"2018","journal-title":"J. Energy Chem."},{"key":"ref_20","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"272","DOI":"10.1016\/j.compositesb.2018.08.016","article-title":"Sulfonated poly ether sulfone\/heteropoly acid composite membranes as electrolytes for the improved power generation of proton exchange membrane fuel cells","volume":"155","author":"Kim","year":"2018","journal-title":"Compos. Part B Eng."},{"key":"ref_21","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"3125","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ijhydene.2009.01.089","article-title":"Electrical contact resistance between stainless steel bipolar plate and carbon felt in PEFC: A comprehensive study","volume":"34","author":"Antoni","year":"2009","journal-title":"Int. J. Hydrogen Energy"},{"key":"ref_22","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"922","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jpowsour.2005.11.069","article-title":"Effect of gas diffusion layer compression on PEM fuel cell performance","volume":"159","author":"Ge","year":"2006","journal-title":"J. Power Sources"},{"key":"ref_23","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"17644","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ijhydene.2016.07.231","article-title":"A comparison of nickel coated and uncoated sintered stainless steel used as bipolar plates in low-temperature fuel cells","volume":"41","author":"Wlodarczyk","year":"2016","journal-title":"Int. J. Hydrogen Energy"},{"key":"ref_24","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"445","DOI":"10.1007\/s10800-004-8350-6","article-title":"Corrosion-resistant lightweight metallic bipolar plates for PEM fuel cells","volume":"35","author":"Hung","year":"2005","journal-title":"J. Appl. Electrochem."},{"key":"ref_25","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"21461","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ijhydene.2014.04.103","article-title":"Fabrication of stainless steel bipolar plates for fuel cells using dynamic loads for the stamping process and performance evaluation of a single cell","volume":"39","author":"Jin","year":"2014","journal-title":"Int. J. Hydrogen Energy"},{"key":"ref_26","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1677","DOI":"10.1007\/s00170-016-8606-4","article-title":"Improving channel depth of stainless steel bipolar plate in fuel cell using process parameters of stamping","volume":"87","author":"Park","year":"2016","journal-title":"Int. J. Adv. Manuf. Technol."},{"key":"ref_27","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"6965","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ijhydene.2016.12.094","article-title":"Two-stage forming approach for manufacturing ferritic stainless steel bipolar plates in PEM fuel cell: Experiments and numerical simulations","volume":"42","author":"Bong","year":"2017","journal-title":"Int. J. Hydrogen Energy"},{"key":"ref_28","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"705","DOI":"10.1016\/j.energy.2016.10.101","article-title":"An investigation of the PEM fuel cells performance with partially restricted cathode flow channels and metal foam as a flow distributor","volume":"118","author":"Afshari","year":"2017","journal-title":"Energy"},{"key":"ref_29","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"640","DOI":"10.1016\/j.apenergy.2015.01.032","article-title":"Theory and practice of flow field designs for fuel cell scaling-up: A critical review","volume":"157","author":"Wang","year":"2015","journal-title":"Appl. Energy"},{"key":"ref_30","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"71","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ref.2019.05.002","article-title":"Experimental study of the effect of flow field design to PEM fuel cells performance","volume":"30","author":"Dhahad","year":"2019","journal-title":"Renew. Energy Focus"},{"key":"ref_31","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"363","DOI":"10.1016\/j.enconman.2016.10.053","article-title":"Flow field bipolar plates in a proton exchange membrane fuel cell: Analysis & modeling","volume":"133","author":"Kahraman","year":"2017","journal-title":"Energy Convers. Manag."},{"key":"ref_32","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"3717","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ijhydene.2012.12.149","article-title":"Nature inspired flow field designs for proton exchange membrane fuel cell","volume":"38","author":"Arvay","year":"2013","journal-title":"Int. J. Hydrogen Energy"},{"key":"ref_33","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"21185","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ijhydene.2014.10.069","article-title":"Bio-inspired flow field designs for polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells","volume":"39","author":"Guo","year":"2014","journal-title":"Int. J. Hydrogen Energy"},{"key":"ref_34","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"842","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ijhydene.2006.11.032","article-title":"Numerical studies on rib & channel dimension of flow-field on PEMFC performance","volume":"32","author":"Shimpalee","year":"2007","journal-title":"Int. J. Hydrogen Energy"},{"key":"ref_35","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"363","DOI":"10.1016\/S0378-7753(99)00478-4","article-title":"Optimisation of flow-field in polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells using computational fluid dynamics techniques","volume":"86","author":"Escudero","year":"2000","journal-title":"J. Power Sources"},{"key":"ref_36","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"6795","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ijhydene.2011.02.099","article-title":"Numerical analysis of the influence of the channel cross-section aspect ratio on the performance of a PEM fuel cell with serpentine flow field design","volume":"36","author":"Manso","year":"2011","journal-title":"Int. J. Hydrogen Energy"},{"key":"ref_37","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"407","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jpowsour.2008.11.047","article-title":"Optimization design of slotted-interdigitated channel for stamped thin metal bipolar plate in proton exchange membrane fuel cell","volume":"187","author":"Hu","year":"2009","journal-title":"J. Power Sources"},{"key":"ref_38","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"5084","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ijhydene.2016.01.073","article-title":"Analysis of the flow distribution for thin stamped bipolar plates with tapered channel shape","volume":"41","author":"Xu","year":"2016","journal-title":"Int. J. Hydrogen Energy"},{"key":"ref_39","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"100","DOI":"10.1016\/S0924-0136(99)00345-3","article-title":"Three-dimensional numerical simulation of the deep-drawing process using solid finite elements","volume":"97","author":"Menezes","year":"2000","journal-title":"J. Mater. Process. Technol."},{"key":"ref_40","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"113","DOI":"10.1007\/s11831-008-9018-x","article-title":"Algorithms and Strategies for Treatment of Large Deformation Frictional Contact in the Numerical Simulation of Deep Drawing Process","volume":"15","author":"Oliveira","year":"2008","journal-title":"Arch. Comput. Methods Eng."},{"key":"ref_41","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1220","DOI":"10.1063\/1.3589683","article-title":"Improving Computational Performance through HPC Techniques: Case study using DD3IMP in-house code","volume":"1353","author":"Menezes","year":"2011","journal-title":"AIP Conf. Proc."},{"key":"ref_42","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"377","DOI":"10.1016\/j.msea.2016.09.101","article-title":"Prediction of flow stress and surface roughness of stainless steel sheets considering an inhomogeneous microstructure","volume":"678","author":"Pham","year":"2016","journal-title":"Mater. Sci. Eng. A"},{"key":"ref_43","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"3502","DOI":"10.1007\/s11661-015-2978-1","article-title":"Mechanical Properties Involved in the Micro-forming of Ultra-thin Stainless Steel Sheets","volume":"46","author":"Pham","year":"2015","journal-title":"Metall. Mater. Trans. A"},{"key":"ref_44","unstructured":"Raj, A.K. (2015). Formability: Metastable Austenitic Stainless Steels, Lulu Press."},{"key":"ref_45","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"296","DOI":"10.1016\/j.cma.2013.12.008","article-title":"Applying Nagata patches to smooth discretized surfaces used in 3D frictional contact problems","volume":"271","author":"Neto","year":"2014","journal-title":"Comput. Methods Appl. Mech. Eng."},{"key":"ref_46","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"35","DOI":"10.1016\/j.finel.2013.03.004","article-title":"Nagata patch interpolation using surface normal vectors evaluated from the IGES file","volume":"72","author":"Neto","year":"2013","journal-title":"Finite Elem. Anal. Des."},{"key":"ref_47","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1413","DOI":"10.1002\/nme.1620150914","article-title":"Generalization of selective integration procedures to anisotropic and nonlinear media","volume":"15","author":"Hughes","year":"1980","journal-title":"Int. J. Numer. Methods Eng."},{"key":"ref_48","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"103","DOI":"10.1016\/S0020-7403(01)00083-2","article-title":"Simulation of springback","volume":"44","author":"Li","year":"2002","journal-title":"Int. J. Mech. Sci."},{"key":"ref_49","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"031009","DOI":"10.1115\/1.3207870","article-title":"Fabrication of Metallic Bipolar Plates for Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell by Flexible Forming Process-Numerical Simulations and Experiments","volume":"7","author":"Peng","year":"2010","journal-title":"J. Fuel Cell Sci. Technol."},{"key":"ref_50","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"6855","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ijhydene.2016.03.005","article-title":"Numerical investigation of formed residual stresses and the thickness of stainless steel bipolar plate in PEMFC","volume":"41","author":"Xu","year":"2016","journal-title":"Int. J. Hydrogen Energy"},{"key":"ref_51","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1121","DOI":"10.1177\/0954405412462673","article-title":"Effect of stamping load variation on deformation behaviour of stainless steel thin plate with microchannel","volume":"227","author":"Koo","year":"2013","journal-title":"Proc. Inst. Mech. Eng. Part B J. Eng. Manuf."},{"key":"ref_52","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"990","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ijhydene.2008.10.081","article-title":"Effect of dimensional error of metallic bipolar plate on the GDL pressure distribution in the PEM fuel cell","volume":"34","author":"Liu","year":"2009","journal-title":"Int. J. Hydrogen Energy"}],"container-title":["Metals"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2075-4701\/9\/7\/810\/pdf","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,11]],"date-time":"2025-10-11T13:08:42Z","timestamp":1760188122000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2075-4701\/9\/7\/810"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2019,7,23]]},"references-count":52,"journal-issue":{"issue":"7","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2019,7]]}},"alternative-id":["met9070810"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/met9070810","relation":{},"ISSN":["2075-4701"],"issn-type":[{"value":"2075-4701","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2019,7,23]]}}}