3D Modeling of Four-Points Probe Method: Application to Characterisation of Fuel Cell’s Bipolar Plates Available to Purchase

For reducing fuel cell stack cost new materials for bipolar plates (BPs) are under development. Quality of this new BPs has to be checked. The four-points probe method is commonly used for measuring of electrical conductivity; however sample’s geometry has a strong impact on the accuracy of this method. For this reason, it is not possible to use the classical assumptions for the interpretation of the electrical conductivity measurements with respect to the case of BPs. In this paper, a finite elements numerical model is developed for the calculation of the influence of the sample’s geometry on the accuracy of four-points probe method. The approach presented here allows obtaining the corrective factor for the four-points method taking into account the real geometry of BPs and evaluating the border effects related with the position of the probe. The obtained results can be used for diagnostic of the quality of BPs.