Method of fabricating an integral gas seal for fuel cell gas distribution assemblies

Dettling, Charles J; Terry, Peter L

Title: Method of fabricating an integral gas seal for fuel cell gas distribution assemblies

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Abstract

A porous gas distribution plate assembly for a fuel cell, such as a bipolar assembly, includes an inner impervious region wherein the bipolar assembly has good surface porosity but no through-plane porosity and wherein electrical conductivity through the impervious region is maintained. A hot-pressing process for forming the bipolar assembly includes placing a layer of thermoplastic sealant material between a pair of porous, electrically conductive plates, applying pressure to the assembly at elevated temperature, and allowing the assembly to cool before removing the pressure whereby the layer of sealant material is melted and diffused into the porous plates to form an impervious bond along a common interface between the plates holding the porous plates together. The distribution of sealant within the pores along the surface of the plates provides an effective barrier at their common interface against through-plane transmission of gas.

Inventors:

Dettling, Charles J ^[1]; Terry, Peter L ^[2]

E. Hanover, NJ
Chathum, NJ

Issue Date:: 1988-03-22

Research Org.:: ENGELHARD CORP

OSTI Identifier:: 866537

Patent Number(s):: 4732637

Application Number:: 06/848,840

Assignee:: Engelhard Corporation (Menlo Park, NJ)

Patent Classifications (CPCs):: H - ELECTRICITY H01 - BASIC ELECTRIC ELEMENTS H01M - PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY

Y - NEW / CROSS SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES Y10 - TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC Y10T - TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION

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H - ELECTRICITY H01 - BASIC ELECTRIC ELEMENTS H01M - PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY
H01M8/0271 - Sealing or supporting means around electrodes, matrices or membranes
H01M8/0286 - Processes for forming seals
H01M8/0258 - characterised by the configuration of channels, e.g. by the flow field of the reactant or coolant
H01M8/2457 - with both reactants being gaseous or vaporised
H01M8/0267 - having heating or cooling means, e.g. heaters or coolant flow channels

Y - NEW / CROSS SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES Y10 - TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC Y10T - TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION
Y10T428/249992 - Linear or thermoplastic

H - ELECTRICITY H01 - BASIC ELECTRIC ELEMENTS H01M - PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY
H01M8/0276 - Sealing means characterised by their form

Y - NEW / CROSS SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES Y10 - TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC Y10T - TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION
Y10T428/249955 - Void-containing component partially impregnated with adjacent component

Y - NEW / CROSS SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES Y02 - TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE Y02E - REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION
Y02E60/50 - Fuel cells

H - ELECTRICITY H01 - BASIC ELECTRIC ELEMENTS H01M - PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY
H01M8/2415 - {External manifolded battery stock}

Y - NEW / CROSS SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES Y10 - TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC Y10T - TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION
Y10T428/30 - Self-sustaining carbon mass or layer with impregnant or other layer

H - ELECTRICITY H01 - BASIC ELECTRIC ELEMENTS H01M - PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY
H01M8/2484 - characterised by external manifolds
H01M8/0284 - Organic resins

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DOE Contract Number:: AC01-78ET15366

Resource Type:: Patent

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

Subject:: method; fabricating; integral; gas; seal; fuel; cell; distribution; assemblies; porous; plate; assembly; bipolar; inner; impervious; region; surface; porosity; through-plane; electrical; conductivity; maintained; hot-pressing; process; forming; placing; layer; thermoplastic; sealant; material; pair; electrically; conductive; plates; applying; pressure; elevated; temperature; allowing; cool; removing; whereby; melted; diffused; form; bond; common; interface; holding; pores; provides; effective; barrier; transmission; sealant material; bipolar assembly; porous plates; fuel cell; electrically conductive; elevated temperature; electrical conductivity; plate assembly; cell gas; distribution plate; applying pressure; gas distribution; gas seal; conductive plates; impervious region; porous gas; effective barrier; conductive plate; inner impervious; integral gas; distribution assemblies; /156/428/429/

Citation Formats


                    Dettling, Charles J, and Terry, Peter L. Method of fabricating an integral gas seal for fuel cell gas distribution assemblies.  United States: N. p., 1988. 
        Web.

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                    Dettling, Charles J, & Terry, Peter L. Method of fabricating an integral gas seal for fuel cell gas distribution assemblies.  United States.

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                    Dettling, Charles J, and Terry, Peter L. Tue .  
        "Method of fabricating an integral gas seal for fuel cell gas distribution assemblies".  United States.  https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/866537.

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@article{osti_866537,

  title        = {Method of fabricating an integral gas seal for fuel cell gas distribution assemblies},

  author       = {Dettling, Charles J and Terry, Peter L},

  abstractNote = {A porous gas distribution plate assembly for a fuel cell, such as a bipolar assembly, includes an inner impervious region wherein the bipolar assembly has good surface porosity but no through-plane porosity and wherein electrical conductivity through the impervious region is maintained. A hot-pressing process for forming the bipolar assembly includes placing a layer of thermoplastic sealant material between a pair of porous, electrically conductive plates, applying pressure to the assembly at elevated temperature, and allowing the assembly to cool before removing the pressure whereby the layer of sealant material is melted and diffused into the porous plates to form an impervious bond along a common interface between the plates holding the porous plates together. The distribution of sealant within the pores along the surface of the plates provides an effective barrier at their common interface against through-plane transmission of gas.},

  doi          = {},

  journal      = {},
number       = ,

  volume       = ,

  place        = {United States},

  year         = {1988},

  month        = {3}

}

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