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  Leading Seal Gasket for Fuel Cell Components Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) Fuel Cell stack, Membrane Electrode Assembly (MEA), and Bipolar Plate manufacturers face the multiple challenges of improving sealing performance and durability, while reducing costs. Considering the importance of the seal gasket within the design of a cell, providing barrier resistance to the harsh cell environment, both external and internal, can be a formidable hurdle. Humidity, low PH, high temp (180oC max.) and high flourene content can all contribute to early failure of your seal gasket. Seal application methods can also be a challenge to your cost models. An injection molded seals gasket can be cost prohibitive in early development due to high mold costs. Die cut gaskets can be wasteful of material and present assembly complications. Form-in place gaskets can most often be the solution to solving both the cost and technical shortcoming of competing systems. When choosing seal gasket materials for the PEM cell, were temperatures can be as much as 180oC, the most common solutions would be silicone or flouroelastomer (Viton). However each has its shortcomings. While silicone has the greatest flexibility in application and material properties (hardness), it falls short with respect to harsh chemistry resistance. Flourelastomers solve this chemistry issue but are not conducive to low pressure sealing due to their high hardness. Ames solves this dilemma by providing you with the best of both. We’ve developed a multi-layer gasket system for a wide variety of applications, the AMESSeal is unmatched in the industry. This unique form in place gasket system dispenses liquid materials automatically and bonds a thin bead of low-durometer elastomers directly onto metal, graphite bi-polar plates or the polymer materials of your MEA. Then this high compliant bead is encapsulated with a barrier layer that insures it longevity in harsh environments. When compared to traditional die-cut or pre- molded gaskets, this process cuts the possible sources of leakage in half. Further these form in place gaskets can be placed with minimal tooling costs and with varying degrees of adhesion so that assembly and disassembly issues can be tailored to your specific needs. Customized Form-in Place Gaskets Our patent pending process for applying multiple layers of elastomers also allows the process to be adjusted and made flexible enough to fit our customers' specific sealing needs. Using the AMESSeal system, a typical multi-layer gasket would combine the compliance and sealing of silicone with the improved durability of a fluoroelastomer. Those materials themselves can be custom formulated by Ames to satisfy you most demanding application. You don’t have to rely on materials that are prepackaged to provide only specific properties. We can adjust, as necessary, the physical requirements you particular sealing system requires. The programmable robotic liquid delivery system of the AMESSeal process applies form-in place gaskets in an infinite number of complex patterns. Changes in your design or configuration can be accomplished in a matter of minutes. This eliminates the high upfront tooling and/or mold costs that are involved with die cut or molded gaskets. Overall Cost Reductions with our AmesSeal Multi-Layer Gasket system will give you the advantage you need in providing a low force, highly durable seal for your most demanding needs. Ames works with you to not only lower the seal gasket cost by eliminating material waste, and significantly lowering the assembly and tooling costs, but we provide you with the custom multi-layer gasket that is uniquely suited to your particular needs. Don’t settle for a generic seal gasket, let Ames engineer a Multi-Layer Gasket system that work for you and you alone. 
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