Water electrolysis is a key technology for hydrogen production from renewable energy sources. A major challenge for industrial implementation is the optimization of bipolar plates, which serve as both structural and electrical connection elements between the individual cells of an electrolyzer stack. Due to high material requirements, currently available solutions are mostly limited to expensive metallic or graphite-based materials, which are either prone to corrosion or complex to manufacture. While graphite composites have proven effective in fuel cells, they lack the necessary chemical stability for electrolysis applications.

In previous work, we developed innovative, highly filled, conductive titanium composites (σ ~ 300 S/cm) that present a promising alternative and have already been successfully tested electrochemically in electrolyzer cells. To analyze correlations between material composition, microstructure, and electrical conductivity, we now employ nano X-ray CT for 3D characterization and simulation. Initial results show a strong agreement between measured and simulated conductivity values derived from 3D data from Graphite composites. Additionally, we are currently investigating a novel three-component system based on titanium and graphite. The results reveal unexpected dependencies of electrical properties on material composition. These correlations are not yet fully understood and are the subject of ongoing research.