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The fuel cell is a high-efficiency, low-emission electro-chemical device adaptable to a host of power generation applications. A bipolar plate is used to feed reactants to the fuel cell electrodes and to collect current. The bipolar plates for proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) have been traditionally fabricated from graphite, owing to its high electrical conductivity and high corrosion resistance. However, the large mass and volume of graphite make it an unlikely choice for automotive fuel cell bipolar plates. The use of lightweight metals such as aluminum is attractive, due to its low mass and volume, low-cost, and ease of manufacturing. Unfortunately, high corrosion resistance and electrical conductivity requirements for fuel cell components preclude uncoated aluminum. Physical Sciences Inc.