Fuel cell component having a flap extending from a polymer impregnated region

1. A method of making a fuel cell component, comprising the steps of:

permeating at least a portion of a component layer with a polymer by

applying a first pressure to the polymer and component layer while heating the polymer until a temperature of at least the polymer reaches a melting temperature of the polymer; and

applying a second, greater pressure to the polymer and component layer while increasing a temperature of at least the polymer to a second temperature above the melting temperature of the polymer, wherein the portion is adjacent an edge of the component layer; and

allowing some of the polymer to extend beyond the edge to thereby establish a flap beyond the edge of the component layer.

2. The method of claim 1 , comprising

shaping the polymer extending beyond the edge into a selected flap geometry.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the shaping comprises

machining the polymer extending beyond the edge to selectively remove at least some of the polymer.

4. The method of claim 2 , wherein the shaping comprises

providing a mold cavity near the edge of the component layer; and

allowing the polymer extending beyond the edge to fill the cavity during a molding process.

5. The method of claim 2 , wherein

the component layer has a first thickness;

the selected flap geometry includes a flap length extending in a direction away from the edge and a second, flap thickness in a direction transverse to the length.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the second thickness is smaller than the first thickness.

7. The method of claim 2 , wherein the selected flap geometry includes a generally rectangular cross section.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the polymer is chemically resistant to phosphoric acid.

9. A fuel cell component, comprising a component layer having a portion adjacent an edge of the layer that is impregnated with a polymer material and a flap of the polymer material extending beyond the edge

wherein

the fuel cell component is made by a process comprising

applying a first pressure to the polymer and component layer while heating the polymer until a temperature of at least the polymer reaches a melting temperature of the polymer; and

applying a second, greater pressure to the polymer and component layer while increasing a temperature of at least the polymer to a second temperature above the melting temperature of the polymer; and

allowing some of the polymer to extend beyond the edge to thereby establish the flap.

10. The fuel cell component of claim 9 , wherein the component layer has a first thickness and the flap has a second thickness.

11. The fuel cell component of claim 10 , wherein the second thickness is smaller than the first thickness.

12. The fuel cell component of claim 9 , wherein the polymer material comprises a high melt flow polymer that is non-wetting and thermally stable below a temperature of approximately 220° C.

13. The fuel cell component of claim 11 , wherein the component layer comprises a porous graphitized substrate.

14. The fuel cell component of claim 11 , wherein the component comprises at least one of an electrode or a gas diffusion layer.

15. The fuel cell component of claim 9 , wherein the polymer is chemically resistant to phosphoric acid.

16. The fuel cell component of claim 9 , wherein the flap has a selected geometry including a flap length extending in a direction away from the edge and a flap thickness in a direction transverse to the flap length.

17. The fuel cell component of claim 16 , wherein the flap length is at least about twice the flap thickness.

18. The fuel cell component of claim 16 , wherein the selected flap geometry includes a generally rectangular cross section.