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Title: Highly conductive composites for fuel cell flow field plates and bipolar plates

Patent ·
OSTI ID:1160337
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This invention provides a fuel cell flow field plate or bipolar plate having flow channels on faces of the plate, comprising an electrically conductive polymer composite. The composite is composed of (A) at least 50% by weight of a conductive filler, comprising at least 5% by weight reinforcement fibers, expanded graphite platelets, graphitic nano-fibers, and/or carbon nano-tubes; (B) polymer matrix material at 1 to 49.9% by weight; and (C) a polymer binder at 0.1 to 10% by weight; wherein the sum of the conductive filler weight %, polymer matrix weight % and polymer binder weight % equals 100% and the bulk electrical conductivity of the flow field or bipolar plate is at least 100 S/cm. The invention also provides a continuous process for cost-effective mass production of the conductive composite-based flow field or bipolar plate.

Research Organization:
Nanotek Instruments, Inc., Dayton, OH (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE
Assignee:
Nanotek Instruments, Inc. (Dayton, OH)
Patent Number(s):
8,865,040
Application Number:
13/021,041
OSTI ID:
1160337
Resource Relation:
Patent File Date: 2011 Feb 04
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

References (13)

Laminated fluid flow field assembly for electrochemical fuel cells patent April 1994
Proton exchange membrane fuel cell separator plate patent August 1999
Bipolar plate/diffuser for a proton exchange membrane fuel cell patent March 2000
Bipolar plate/diffuser for a proton exchange membrane fuel cell patent January 2001
Composite bipolar plate for electrochemical cells patent June 2001
Fuel cell assembly method with selective catalyst loading patent January 2003
Low contact resistance PEM fuel cell patent November 2004
Separator for fuel cell, process for production thereof, and solid polymer type fuel cell using said separator patent April 2005
Fuel cell separator, process for production thereof, and polymer electrolyte fuel cell patent September 2005
Conductive carbonaceous-fiber sheet and solid polymer electrolyte fuel cell patent-application October 2002
Composite material for fuel cell separator molding and production method thereof, and fuel cell separator which uses the composite material and production method thereof patent-application July 2003
Highly conductive thermoplastic composites for rapid production of fuel cell bipolar plates patent-application November 2004
Method and apparatus for mixing and applying a multi-component coating composition patent-application November 2004

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