A low cost method of fabricating bipolar plates for use in fuel cells
utilizes a wet lay process for combining graphite particles,
thermoplastic fibers, and reinforcing fibers to produce a plurality of
formable sheets. The formable sheets are then molded into a bipolar
plates with features impressed therein via the molding process. The
bipolar plates formed by the process have conductivity in excess of 150
S/cm and have sufficient mechanical strength to be used in fuel cells.
The bipolar plates can be formed as a skin/core laminate where a second
polymer material is used on the skin surface which provides for enhanced
conductivity, chemical resistance, and resistance to gas permeation.