This study investigated a developed process for producing a composite bipolar plate having excellent conductivity by using coal tar pitch and phenol resin as binders. We used a pressing method to prepare a compact of graphite powder mixed with binders. Resistivity of the impregnated compact was observed as heat treatment temperature was increased. It was observed that pore sizes of the GCTP samples increased as the heat treatment temperature increased. There was not a great difference between the flexural strengths of GCTP-IM and CPR-IM as the heat treatment temperature was increased. The resistivity of GPR700-IM, heat treated at 700℃ using phenolic resin as a binder, was 4829 μΩ·cm which was best value in this study. In addition, it is expected that with the appropriate selection of carbon powder and further optimization of process we can produce a composite bipolar plate which has excellent properties.

The bipolar plate is the most important and most costly component of proton exchange membrane fuel cells. The development of a suitable low density bipolar plate is scientif-cally and technically challenging due to the need to maintain high electrical conductivity and mechanical properties. Here, bipolar plates were developed from different particle sizes of natural and expanded graphite with phenolic resin as a polymeric matrix. It was observed that the particle size of the reinforcement significantlyinfluencesthe mechanical and electri-cal properties of a composite bipolar plate. The composite bipolar plate based on expanded graphite gives the desired mechanical and electrical properties as per the US Department of Energy target, with a bulk density of 1.55 g.cm-3 as compared to that of ~1.87 g.cm-3 for a composite plate based on natural graphite (NG). Although the bulk density of the expanded-graphite-based composite plate is ~20% less than that of the NG-based plate, the I-V perfor-mance of the expanded graphite plate is superior to that of the NG plate as a consequence of the higher conductivity. The expanded graphite plate can thus be used as an electromagnetic interference shielding material.

This study is focused on the channel design of bipolar plate in the electrode of hydrogen gas generator. The characteristics of hydrogen gas generation was studied in view of efficiency of hydrogen gas generation rate and a tendency of gas flow through the riv design of electrode. Since the flow rate and flow pattern of generated gas in the two phase flow system are the most crucial in determining the efficiency of hydrogen gas generator, we adopted the commercial analytical program of COMSOL MultiphysicsTM to calculate the theoretical flow rate of hydrogen gas from the outlet of gas generator and flow pattern of two phase fluid in the electrode. In this study, liquid electrolyte flows into the bipolar plate and decomposed into gas phase, two phase flow simulation is applied to measure the efficiency of hydrogen gas generation.

This study is focused on the channel design of bipolar plate in the electrode of hydrogen gas generator. The characteristics of hydrogen gas generation was studied in view of efficiency of hydrogen gas generation rate and a tendency of gas flow through the riv design of electrode. Since the flow rate of generated gas is the most crucial in determining the efficiency of hydrogen gas generator, we adopted the commercial analytical program of COMSOL MultiphysicsTM to calculate the theoretical flow rate of hydrogen gas from the outlet of gas generator.

Chromium nitride (CrN) samples with two different layer structures (multilayer and single layer) were coated on bipolar plates of polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells (PEMFC) using the reactive sputtering method. The effects with respect to layer structure on corrosion resistance and overall cell performance were investigated. A continuous and thin chromium nitride layer (Cr0.48 N0.52) was formed on the surface of the SUS 316L when the nitrogen flow rate was 10 sccm. The electrochemical stability of the coated layers was examined using the potentiodynamic and potentiostatic methods in the simulated corrosive circumstances of the PEMFC under 80˚C. Interfacial contact resistance (ICR) between the CrN coated sample and the gas diffusion layer was measured by using Wang's method. A single cell performance test was also conducted. The test results showed that CrN coated SUS316L with multilayer structure had excellent corrosion resistance compared to single layer structures and single cell performance results with 25 cm2 in effective area also showed the same tendency. The difference of the electrochemical properties between the single and multilayer samples was attributed to the Cr interlayer layer, which improved the corrosion resistance. Because the coating layer was damaged by pinholes, the Cr layer prevented the penetration of corrosive media into the substrate. Therefore, the CrN with a multilayer structure is an effective coating method to increase the corrosion resistance and to decrease the ICR for metallic bipolar plates in PEMFC.

This study is focused on the modeling of two phase fluid flow system in the electrode of hydrogen gas generator. The characteristics of hydrogen gas generation was studied in view of efficiency of hydrogen gas generation rate and a tendency of gas flow through the riv of electrode. Since the flow rate of generated gas is the most crucial in determining the efficiency of hydrogen gas generator, we adopted the commercial analytical program of COMSOL MultiphysicsTM to calculate the theoretical flow rate of hydrogen gas from the outlet of gas generator.

In this study, graphite composites were fabricated by warm press molding method to realize commercialization of PEM fuel cells. Graphite composites have been considered as alternative economic materials for bipolar plate of PEM fuel cells. Graphite powder that enables to provide electrical conductivity was selected as the main substance. The graphite powder was mixed with phenolic resin and the mixture was pressed using a warm press method. First of all, the graphite powder was pulverized with a ball mill for the dense packing of composite. As the ball milling time increases, the average size of particles decreases and the size distribution becomes narrow. This allows for improvement of the uniformity of graphite composite. However, the surface electrical resistivity of graphite composite increases as the ball milling time increases. It is due to that graphite particles with amorphous phase are generated on the surface due to the friction and collision of particles during pulverizing. We found that the contact electrical resistivity of graphite particles increases as the particle size decreases. The contact electrical resistivity of graphite powders was reduced due to high molding pressure by warm press molding. This leads to improvement of the mechanical properties of graphite composite. Hydrogen gas impermeability was measured with the graphite composite, showing a possibility of the application for bipolar plate in fuel cell. And, I-V curves of the graphite composite bipolar plate exhibit a similar performance to the graphite bipolar plate.

Bipolar plates require some specific properties such as electrical conductivity, mechanical strength, chemical stability, and low permeability for the fuel cell application. This study investigated the effects of carbon nanotube (CNT) contents and process conditions of hot press molding on the electrical and physical properties using CNT 3~7 wt% added graphite nano-composites in the curing temperatures range of 140~200℃ and pressure of 200~300 kg/cm2. Bulk density, hardness and flexural strength increased with increasing CNT contents, curing pressure and temperature. With the 7 wt% CNT added noncomposite, the electrical resistance improved by 30% and the flexural strength increased by 25% as compared to that without CNT at the temperature of 160℃ and pressure of 300 kg/cm2. These properties were close to the DOE reference criteria as bulk resistance of 13 mΩcm and tensile strength of 515 kg/cm2.

Modification of C/C composite bipolar plate for improving electrical conductivity was carried out by addition of electroconductive carbon black (EC-CB). Carbon black was carefully mixed to methanol-containing phenolic resin, impregnated into 2D-carbon fabrics, hot pressed and then carbonized to obtain composite plate. Inclusion of electro-conductive carbon black enhanced the electrical conductivity of the C/C composites by increasing the conduction path. Addition of 10 vol% carbon black increased the electrical conductivity from 5.5/Ωcm to 32/Ωcm and reduced the crack formation by filling effect, resulting in the increase of flexural properties of composite plate. However, at carbon black content over 10 vol%, flexural properties decreased by delaminating role of excess carbon black at the interface in C/C composites.