This study investigates the electrochemical corrosion behavior of chopped carbon fiber (CCF)-reinforced epoxy (EP)/graphite (G)/expanded graphite (EG) composites, specifically evaluated for application as bipolar plates (BPPs) in Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells (PEMFCs). Post-fabrication grinding using varying silicon carbide grit sizes was employed to modulate surface roughness (Ra), which was quantitatively characterized via Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM). The resulting values for 400, 600, 800, 1000, and 2000-grit preparations were 168.00 ±3.11, 153.50±2.42, 134.60±0.71, 119.80±1.43, and 42.90±1.21 nm, respectively. Electrochemical evaluations demonstrated that a critical roughness threshold exists for maximizing corrosion resistance within the acidic PEMFC environment. The specimen with a surface roughness of 134.60±0.71 nm (800-grit) was identified as the optimal configuration. In the Cyclic Voltammetry (CV) analysis, this sample exhibited the lowest peak current density and an absence of prominent faradaic redox peaks, indicating a stable interfacial state. These findings were corroborated by Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS) and potentiodynamic polarization, where the 134.60±0.71 nm topography demonstrated the highest polarization resistance and the lowest corrosion current density (I corr ). These findings suggest that optimizing surface topography is essential for enhancing the durability and interfacial stability of composite BPPs.
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Hanapi et al. (2026) studied this question.
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