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Our Technologies: Innovative Energy Storage and Conversion Technologies (Fuel Cells, Solar Cells, and Batteries)

(F) Highly Conductive Composite Bipolar Plates for PEM Fuel Cells  

1.                  A. Zhamu and B. Z. Jang, “Method of Manufacturing Integrated Bipolar Plate/Diffuser Components for Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells,” U.S. Pat. Pending, 11/293,690 (12/05/2005).

2.                  A. Zhamu and B. Z. Jang, “Integrated Bipolar Plate/Diffuser Components for Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells,” U.S. Pat. Pending, 11/293,706 (12/05//2005).

3.                  Bor Z. Jang, “Molding Compound Flow Field Plate, Bipolar Plate and Fuel Cell,” U.S. Pat. Pending, 11/293,540 (12/05//2005).

4.                  Bor Z. Jang, A. Zhamu, Lulu Song, “Method for Producing Highly Conductive Molding Compound, Fuel cell Flow Field Plate, and Bipolar Plate,” U.S. Pat. Pending, 11/293,541 (12/05//2005).

5.                  Bor Z. Jang, A. Zhamu, and Lulu Song, “Highly Conductive Composites for Fuel Cell Flow Field Plates and Bipolar Plates,” U.S. Pat. Pending, 11/324,370 (01/04/06).  12/21/2005.

6.                  Lulu Song, Jiusheng Guo, A. Zhamu, and Bor Z. Jang, “Highly Conductive Nano-scaled Graphene Plate Nanocomposites and Products” US Pat Pending, 11/328,880 (01/11/06).

                A series of highly conductive composite materials and process technologies have been developed at NANOTEK; e.g., a continuous process for cost-effective mass production of conductive composite-based flow field or bipolar plates. The fuel cell flow field plate or bipolar plate has flow channels on faces of the plate, made from 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, NGPs, GNFs (graphitic nano-fibers), and/or CNTs; (B) a polymer matrix material at 1 to 49.9% by weight; and (C) a polymer binder at 0.1 to 10% by weight; where 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 process includes: (A) continuously or intermittently feeding and moving a sheet of porous substrate toward a desired direction, where the substrate has through-thickness pores; (B) mixing and feeding the conductive filler, a thermoset binder, a thermoplastic matrix material, and a carrier fluid (preferably water) onto the porous substrate; and directing the carrier fluid to substantially flow through the pores, leaving behind a layer of a solid mixture of the filler, binder and matrix material on the substrate; (C) moving the substrate so as to allow the solid mixture layer to go through a compaction stage; and (D) heating and consolidating the solid mixture layer and generating flow channels on a surface or both surfaces of the solid mixture layer to form the flow field or bipolar plate.