Method of fabricating an integral gas seal for fuel cell gas distribution assemblies
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:
-
- (E. Hanover, NJ)
- (Chathum, NJ)
- Issue Date:
- Research Org.:
- ENGELHARD CORP
- OSTI Identifier:
- 866537
- Patent Number(s):
- 4732637
- Application Number:
- 06/848,840
- Assignee:
- Engelhard Corporation (Menlo Park, NJ) OSTI
- 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.
Dettling, Charles J., & Terry, Peter L. Method of fabricating an integral gas seal for fuel cell gas distribution assemblies. United States.
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.
@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}
}