In the quest for cleaner and more efficient energy solutions, hydrogen fuel cells have emerged as a promising technology. Used in sectors such as automotive, aerospace, and stationary power generation, fuel cells offer a sustainable alternative to traditional combustion-based energy sources.

When it comes to its manufacturing processes, a critical aspect of fuel cell assembly is the application of industrial adhesives, which ensure the proper sealing and separation of components, directly influencing the performance and longevity of the cells. When sealing hydrogen fuel cell stacks, adhesives perform better than welding as they provide superior leak prevention, reduce stress and weight, and enable bonding of dissimilar materials. This simplifies manufacturing processes and enhances durability of fuel cells against corrosion and fatigue. However, traditional adhesive application methods, such as dispensing and screen printing, present challenges that can impede efficiency and scalability.

At Quantica, we have developed a technology that gives manufacturers a better alternative for applying adhesives in the production of hydrogen fuel cells.

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Current Manufacturing Landscape and its main Limitations

Today, fuel cell sealing relies on analog technologies such as dispensing and screen printing, both of which come with limitations. Dispensing involves applying adhesive through a single nozzle, which can be slow and space-intensive. This process often struggles with complex geometries and may lead to inconsistent adhesive layers, affecting the quality and reliability of the fuel cells. Screen printing, while faster, is an analog process that requires tooling—meaning any design change requires modifying the tools as well. Additionally, it involves direct contact with the substrate, which can be damaging in certain applications.

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‍Quantica's Digital Solution: NovoJet™

Quantica’s NovoJet™ printhead technology addresses these challenges by enabling the digital, contact-free application of adhesives. Capable of handling highly viscous fluids up to 250 mPa·s at jetting temperature, our technology allows for precise deposition of adhesives with complex rheological properties. Since hydrogen is the smallest molecule, the adhesives used for fuel cell stacking must create an extremely tight seal to prevent leakage. Sealing materials need to be highly gas-impermeable and resistant to harsh conditions, including sustained high temperatures up to 120°C and low pH levels. Additionally, manufacturing tolerances in bipolar plates can cause uneven pressure distribution on the seals, which must be compensated for, especially during stack assembly.

To match the required material functionalities, our team successfully printed an industrial adhesive, Henkel LOCTITE, with a viscosity of 13,000 mPa·s at room temperature. Through controlled heating and shear thinning, we reduced the viscosity to a range suitable for jetting with our printhead.

We deposited this adhesive onto various substrates commonly used in fuel cell production, including gas diffusion layers, membranes, catalyst-coated membranes, and carbon composite plates.
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Quantica’s NovoJet™ technology introduces a digital approach to adhesive deposition, offering a contact-free solution that addresses some key challenges associated with traditional analog methods. By enabling precise control over adhesive placement, this technology has the potential to enhance production efficiency, reduce material waste, and streamline manufacturing processes.

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Advantages of Digital Adhesive Deposition

The integration of digital printing for industrial adhesives using Quantica’s NovoJet™ technology presents several benefits that could significantly improve fuel cell production:

Precision
Controlled droplet deposition ensures uniform adhesive layers, preserving the integrity and performance of fuel cells. Unlike conventional methods, it guarantees consistent distribution across all components.

Efficiency
Drop-on-demand printing applies adhesive only where needed, minimizing material waste, optimizing resource usage, reducing production costs, and promoting sustainability.

Scalability
NovoJet™ technology seamlessly integrates with existing industrial workflows, supporting high-speed, high-volume manufacturing without requiring extensive modifications to production lines.

Flexibility
The digitally controlled process allows for easy adjustments to adhesive patterns, layer thickness, and application parameters without the need for physical tooling changes. This adaptability enhances customization and makes fuel cell assembly more responsive to evolving design and performance requirements.

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Future Directions

Building on our success in adhesive deposition, we are now progressing toward digitally printing the platinum catalyst layer within the membrane electrode assembly. By jetting a material that mimics the platinum catalyst, our team seeks to enable this application, offering manufacturers greater control over material deposition, enhanced precision, and significantly reduced material waste.

Hydrogen technology is set to play a key role in the future of clean energy, but fuel cell manufacturing still faces challenges in efficiency, scalability, and material utilization. High viscosity inkjet printing offers a valuable solution that combines freedom of design, functional materials, and high-volume throughput with a seamless integration into production lines.

At Quantica, we see numerous opportunities for digital printing in the hydrogen industry, with adhesive and catalyst layer deposition being just the beginning. If you are interested in collaborating or contributing to the development of these applications, we welcome you to reach out and explore the possibilities with us.

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