Reduced-weight fuel cell plate with corrosion resistant coating

1. A fuel cell plate, comprising:

a substrate of electrically conductive material;

a first outer layer formed from a first outer layer material different from said electrically conductive material and adjacent a first portion of the substrate, the electrically conductive material having a lower density than the first outer layer material;

a second outer layer formed from a solderable material different from said first outer layer material and adjacent a second portion of the substrate; and

a first coating of corrosion-resistant material bonded to at least a portion of an outer surface of the first outer layer; and

a second coating of solderable, corrosion-resistant material different from said first coating of corrosion-resistant material, said second coating bonded to at least a portion of an outer surface of the second outer layer.

2. The fuel cell plate of claim 1 , wherein the first outer layer and the second outer layer are simultaneously bonded to the substrate using a cladding technique.

3. The fuel cell plate of claim 1 , wherein the second portion of the substrate and the second outer layer correspond to a solder tab for the fuel cell plate.

4. The fuel cell plate of claim 1 , wherein the first outer layer is bonded to the first portion of the substrate using at least one of a cladding technique, a sputtering technique, a spraying technique, a plating technique, and a coating technique.

5. The fuel cell plate of claim 1 , wherein the first portion of the substrate and the first outer layer correspond to an electrode for a fuel cell.

6. The fuel cell plate of claim 1 , further comprising:

a corrosion-resistant sealant applied to an exposed edge of the substrate.

7. The fuel cell plate of claim 6 , wherein the corrosion-resistant sealant is applied using at least one of a welding technique, a molding technique, and a coating technique.

8. A fuel cell stack, comprising:

a second of fuel cell plates coupled together, wherein each of the fuel cell plates comprises:

a substrate of electrically conductive material;

a first outer layer formed from a first outer layer material different from said electrically conductive material and adjacent a first portion of the substrate, the electrically conductive material having a lower density than the first outer layer material;

a second outer layer formed from a solderable material different from said first outer layer material and adjacent a second portion of the substrate; and

a first coating of corrosion-resistant material bonded to at least a portion of an outer surface of the first outer layer; and

a second coating of solderable, corrosion-resistant material different from said first coating of corrosion-resistant material, said second coating bonded to at least a portion of an outer surface of the second outer layer.

9. The fuel cell stack of claim 8 , wherein the first outer layer and the second outer layer are simultaneously bonded to the substrate using a cladding technique.

10. The fuel cell stack of claim 8 , wherein each of the fuel cell plates further comprises:

a corrosion-resistant sealant applied to an exposed edge of the substrate.

11. The fuel cell stack of claim 8 , wherein the first portion of the substrate and the first outer layer correspond to an electrode for a fuel cell.

12. A portable electronic device, comprising:

a set of components powered by a fuel cell stack; and

the fuel cell stack comprising a set of fuel cell plates coupled together, wherein each of the fuel cell plates comprises:

a substrate of electrically conductive material;

a first outer layer formed from a first outer layer material different from said electrically conductive material and adjacent a first portion of the substrate, the electrically conductive material having a lower density than the first outer layer material;

a second outer layer formed from a solderable material different from said first outer layer material and adjacent a second portion of the substrate; and

a first coating of corrosion-resistant material bonded to at least a portion of an outer surface of the first outer layer; and

a second coating of solderable, corrosion-resistant material different from said first coating of corrosion-resistant material, said second coating bonded to at least a portion of an outer surface of the second outer layer.

13. The portable electronic device of claim 12 , wherein each of the fuel cell plates further comprises:

a corrosion-resistant sealant applied to an exposed edge of the substrate.

14. A method for manufacturing a fuel cell plate, comprising:

arranging a first outer layer of corrosion-resistant material over a first portion of a substrate of electrically conductive material, the electrically conductive material having a density lower than the corrosion-resistant material;

arranging a second outer layer of solderable material over a second portion of the substrate, said solderable material different from said corrosion-resistant material;

bonding the first and second outer layers to the substrate;

depositing a corrosion-resistant coating over at least a portion of the first outer layer; and

depositing a corrosion-resistant solderable coating, different from the corrosion-resistant coating on the first outer layer, over at least a portion of the second outer layer.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the first outer layer and the second outer layer are simultaneously bonded to the substrate using a cladding technique.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the corrosion-resistant solderable coating is applied over the second outer layer during the cladding technique.

17. The method of claim 14 , further comprising: applying a corrosion-resistant sealant to an exposed edge of the substrate.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the corrosion-resistant sealant is applied using at least one of a welding technique, a molding technique, and a coating technique.