Fluoroplastic- and Bio-Based Composites Materials for PEM Fuel Cells Bipolar Plates

2021 ◽  
Vol 899 ◽  
pp. 192-201
Author(s):  
Nikita Faddeev ◽  
Denis Tokarev ◽  
Tatyana A. Molodtsova ◽  
Maxim Belichenko ◽  
Victor Klushin

Conductive polymer composite materials for polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells bipolar plates have been successfully prepared from renewable plant biomass sources and copolymers of tetrafluoroethylene with vinylidenefluoride. The composites are based on various conductive fillers (natural, oxidized and colloidal graphite’s) and polymer binder (the 5-HMF synthesis by-product or fluoroplastic). The influences of type and content of binder and type of conductive filler on the mechanical properties and conductivity were investigated. Conductivity of the composites decreases with increasing of polymer content, but its mechanical properties changes inversely. Composite based on 5-HMF by-products (content 30 wt.%) and colloidal graphite as a filler meets the DOE requirements for a mechanical strength. Flexural and compressive strengths were 25 and 32 MPa, respectively. Composites based on fluoroplastic 32 (content 30 wt.%) and fluoroplastic 42 (content 20 wt.%) with colloidal graphite as a filler and fluoroplastic 42 (content 20 wt.%) with nature graphite have flexural strength values close to the target value of DOE and amounted to 24, 17 and 19 MPa, respectively. Interfacial contact resistance depends to a greater extent on the nature of the filler and is maximum for composites based on natural graphite. Composites based on fluoroplastic 42 at any filler content correspond to the requirements DOE ≤ 0.01 ohm∙cm2. Composite based on 5-HMF synthesis by-product (resin) and fluoroplastic with conductive filler (colloidal graphite) shows a great potential application as bipolar plates for PEMFCs.

2020 ◽  
Vol 869 ◽  
pp. 591-596
Author(s):  
Nikita Faddeev ◽  
Victor Klushin ◽  
Denis Tokarev ◽  
Nina Smirnova

Conductive polymer composite materials for polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells bipolar plates have been successfully prepared from renewable plant biomass sources. The composites are based on various conductive fillers (natural, oxidized and colloidal graphites) and the 5-hydroxymethylfurfural synthesis by-product resin that consists of complex furanic oligomers and polymers. The influences of the resin content and type of conductive filler were investigated. The conductivity of the composite are decreased with increasing resin content, but its mechanical properties are improve. A sample with a resin content of 10 wt. % and colloidal graphite filler have showed the optimal balance between electrical conductivity and mechanical properties. The interfacial contacting resistance, flexural and compressive strength of the composite were 0.035 ohm•cm2, 18.4 MPa and 21.4 MPa, respectively. Composite based on 5-hydroxymethylfurfural synthesis by-product resin and conductive filler (colloidal graphite) are showed a great potential application as bipolar plates for polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells.


2020 ◽  
Vol 869 ◽  
pp. 413-418
Author(s):  
Nikita Faddeev ◽  
Victor Klushin ◽  
Nina Smirnova

A highly corrosion resistant and conductive polymer coating for polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells bipolar plates have been successfully prepared from renewable plant biomass sources. The coating is based on the 5-hydroxymethylfurfural synthesis by-product resin that consists of complex furanic oligomers and polymers. The corrosion resistance and conductivity of coated titanium plates have been studied. As-prepared coated Ti samples are shown 0.083 μA/cm2 and 0.32 μA/cm2 corrosion current in the simulated PEMFCs cathode and anode environment respectively. In addition, the polymer coating are reduced the interfacial contact resistance of bare titanium up to 40 %. The Ti plates coated with by-products of 5-HMF synthesis are shown a great potential application as bipolar plates for PEMFCs.


2016 ◽  
Vol 879 ◽  
pp. 613-618 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karen Swider Lyons ◽  
Benjamin D. Gould

Bipolar plates (BPPs) serve multiple roles in polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs). When assembled in a stack, they provide the structural backbone of the stack, plus serial electronic connections. They also provide gas (air and fuel) and coolant distribution pathways. Traditionally, bipolar plates have been made of carbon, but these are being replaced in favor of metal bipolar plates made of stamped foils. The Naval Research Laboratory has explored making titanium metal BPPs using 3D printing methods (direct metal laser sintering – DMLS) and superplastic forming, and then using a gold/TiO2 surface layer for corrosion resistance. The 3D printed plates are made as one piece with the coolant flow internal to the resulting 2-mm thick structure. Their surface roughness requires smoothing prior to coating to increase their cell-to-cell conductivity. We found that 3D printed cells with 22 and 66 cm2 active areas are slightly warped, preventing the robust sealing of the stacks. The formed plates are made in separate pieces and then joined. Despite the high temperatures required for superplastic forming, the resulting plates are thin and lightweight, making them highly attractive for lightweight compact PEMFC stacks.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gokul Venugopalan ◽  
Deepra Bhattacharya ◽  
Subarna Kole ◽  
Cameron Ysidron ◽  
Polyxeni P. Angelopoulou ◽  
...  

Ionomer electrode binders are important materials for polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) fuel cells and electrolyzers and have a profound impact on cell performance. Herein, we report the effect of two...


2004 ◽  
pp. 307-314 ◽  
Author(s):  
U.-S. JEON ◽  
S.-Y. AHN ◽  
Y. M. CHOI ◽  
K. K. KIM ◽  
E. A. CHO ◽  
...  

2014 ◽  
Vol 2014 ◽  
pp. 1-9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shadi Vafaeyan ◽  
Alain St-Amant ◽  
Marten Ternan

The use of propane fuel in high temperature (120°C) polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) fuel cells that do not require a platinum group metal catalyst is being investigated in our laboratory. Density functional theory (DFT) was used to determine propane adsorption energies, desorption energies, and transition state energies for both dehydrogenation and hydroxylation reactions on a Ni(100) anode catalyst surface. The Boltzmann factor for the hydroxylation of a propyl species to form propanol and its subsequent desorption was compared to that for the dehydrogenation of a propyl species. The large ratio of the respective Boltzmann factors indicated that the formation of a completely reacted product (carbon dioxide) is much more likely than the formation of partially reacted products (alcohols, aldehydes, carboxylic acids, and carbon monoxide). That finding is evidence for the major proportion of the chemical energy of the propane fuel being converted to either electrical or thermal energy in the fuel cell rather than remaining unused when partially reacted species are formed.


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