The commercial viability of fuel cells for vehicle application has been examined in the context of lightweight material options, as well as in combination with improvements in fuel cell powertrain. Investigation into ultra-lightweight bipolar plates (BPs), the main component in terms of the weight effect, is of great importance to enhance energy efficiency. This research aims to fabricate a layered carbon fiber/epoxy composite structure for BPs. Two types of carbon fillers (COOH-MWCNT and COOH-GNP) reinforced with woven carbon fiber sheets (WCFS) have been utilized. The conceptual idea is to reduce molding cycle time by improving the structural, electrical, and mechanical properties of BPs. Reducing the reactive molding cycle time is required for commercial production possibility. The desired crosslink density of 97%, observed at reactive molding time, was reduced by 83% at 140 °C processing temperature. The as-fabricated BPs demonstrate excellent electrical conductivity and mechanical strength that achieved the DOE standard. Under actual fuel cell operation, the as-fabricated BPs show superior performance to commercial furan-based composite BPs in terms of the cell potential and maximum power. This research demonstrates the practical and straightforward way to produce high-performance and reliable BPs with a rapid production rate for actual PEMFC utilization.

Oxygen‐plasma treated graphene nanoplatelet (OGNP), multiwalled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) and polycarbonate (PC) hybrid nanocomposites were prepared via a melting process using a twin‐screw extruder. The contents of the OGNPs were in the range of 0.0 to 5.0 parts per hundred resin (phr), whilst the dosage of MWCNTs was kept at a constant of 2.0 wt%. Nanocomposites containing 2.0 wt% of MWCNTs and mixtures of 2.0 wt% of MWCNTs at 1.5 to 5.0 phr of OGNPs had tribocharged voltages, surface resistivities, and decay times, all within the electrostatic discharge (ESD) specification. The X‐ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) results revealed that the OGNPs slightly intercalated and distributed also within the PC matrix. The glass transition temperature (T_g) and heat capacity jump, at the glass transition stages of nanocomposite, slightly changed, as the contents of the OGNPs increased. The melt flow index (MFI) of nanocomposites significantly decreased when MWCNTs were added to the PC resin and slightly changed as the dosage of OGNPs was increased. Tensile Young’s modulus of nanocomposites tended to increase, as the elongation at break and impact strength decreased, when OGNP concentrations were increased. This research work exhibited that OGNP/MWCNT/PC hybrid nanocomposites do indeed have the potential to be used in ESD applications.