Abstract:Research on proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFC) is a hot issue in the field of fuel cell . PEM FC possess normal characteristics (high efficiency in energy transformation ,environmental friendli‐ness ,broad application ,and so on) of fuel cells ,as well as many prominent properties such as easy start‐up at room temperature ,longevity ,high specific power and energy .Development of low‐cost and high‐ef‐ficient long‐life bipolar plates is crucial to the realization of commercial value of PEMFC .This paper is the conclusion of worldwide research on bipolar plate materials .It has mainly reviewed studies on the surface modification methods as well as the merits and defects of metallic bipolar plates .