Fuel Cells

Fuel cell market: 23.2% CAGR through 2028. Bipolar plate coatings are a Tier 1 requirement.

Fuel cells are the highest-efficiency, zero-emission power source available at commercial scale, and the global market is accelerating at 23.2% CAGR from 2020 to 2028. Transportation, industrial power, grid storage, and military platforms are all converging on hydrogen fuel cell technology. As OEMs and system integrators scale their fuel cell production programs, they need a Tier 1 coating supplier for metal bipolar plates and current collectors who can deliver — on specification, on schedule, at volume.

TreadStone's patented coating technologies are engineered to address the most critical performance bottleneck in fuel cell stacks: contact resistance and corrosion at the metal bipolar plate interface. Our coatings lower contact resistance, extend component service life, and reduce precious metal loading — directly cutting the system-level cost of energy production without compromising power density or durability.

TreadStone offers three coating technologies for fuel cell applications (DOT, TiOx, and DuraC), each optimized for different operating environments, component materials, and cost targets. DOT is commercially available and in active use in commercial and specialty fuel cell and electrolyzer applications. DuraC is in active commercialization, with manufacturing scale-up underway with a lead customer. TiOx is in development, with strong results on titanium substrates. Our engineering team works with OEM and Tier 1 fuel cell manufacturers to select and qualify the right technology for each program.