Low Cost and Rapidly Processed Randomly Oriented Carbon/Carbon Composite Bipolar Plate for PEM Fuel Cell

The objective of the present work is to develop carbon/carbon (C/C) composite bipolar plate at low cost with rapid processing time by a novel process. Carbon/carbon composite was developed using exfoliated carbon fiber reinforcement, isroaniso as primary matrix precursor, and resole type phenolic resin as secondary matrix precursor. Randomly oriented hybrid carbon fiber (T‐800 and P‐75) reinforced hybrid carbon matrix composite was fabricated. The slicing and channel forming were carried out using simple and conventional machines. The competency of the material was investigated by characterizing and analyzing density, scanning electron miscroscopy (SEM), compressive strength, compressive modulus, flexural strength, tensile strength, impact strength, hardness, electrical conductivity, thermal conductivity, coefficient of thermal expansion, permeability, and corrosion current. The C/C composite bipolar plate with exfoliated carbon fibers offered bulk density 1.75 g cm⁻³, tensile strength 45 MPa, flexural strength 98 MPa, compressive strength 205 MPa, electrical conductivity 190 (through‐plane) and 595 S cm⁻¹ (in‐plane), and thermal conductivity 24 (through‐plane) and 51 W m⁻¹ K⁻¹ (in‐plane). Further, single cell test was performed to evaluate the effectiveness of the C/C composite bipolar plate in the PEM fuel cell and the performance was compared with the commercial graphite bipolar plate at different operating temperatures.     

Development of Low‐Cost Advanced Composite Bipolar Plate for Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell�

The bipolar plate is one of the most imperative components of proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFC) which consumes up to 80% of weight and near about 50% of the total cost of the cell. Development of cost‐effective composite bipolar plate with high electrical conductivity and high mechanical strength is both technically and economically demanding. In this paper, a low‐cost advanced composite bipolar plate is developed by bulk moulding compression (BMC) technique. It is clear from the experiments that by increasing the matrix volume fraction, bulk density and electrical conductivity of a composite bipolar plate decrease but shore hardness increases. Test results clearly show that best overall properties are achieved when a constant volume fraction of polymer matrix and natural graphite is reinforced with synthetic graphite, carbon black and carbon fibre. This bipolar plate was found to have high conductivity, less porosity and high mechanical strength. The I–V characteristics in single cell test exhibited more uniform power density at both higher and lower current densities     

Fabrication of electrically conductive polymer composites for bipolar plate by two‐step compression molding technique

Electrically conductive polymer composites for bipolar plate were fabricated by two‐step compression molding technique. Raw materials consisted of natural graphite flakes (G), expanded graphite (EG), carbon black (CB), and phenol resin (PF). The G/EG/CB/PF composites were first compressed at a temperature lower than curing point (100°C) and then cured at a high temperature above curing point (150°C) and high pressure (10 MPa). Results showed that G and EG are oriented in the direction parallel to the composite plate surface. CB is dispersed not only in the phenol resin matrix but also in the packing and porous space of G and EG. The addition of EG and CB significantly increases number of the electrical channels and thus enhances the electrical conductivity of the composite. Under optimal conditions, electrical conductivity and flexural strength of the composite were 2.80 × 10⁴ S/m and 55 MPa, respectively, suggesting that the dipolar plates prepared by two‐step compression molding technique are adequate to meet the requirement of proton exchange membrane fuel cells. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 130: 2296–2302, 2013     

Mechanical and shape‐memory behavior of shape‐memory polymer composites with hybrid fillers

Shape‐memory polymer (SMP) materials have several drawbacks such as low strength, low stiffness and natural insulating tendencies, which seriously limit their development and applications. Much effort has been made to improve their mechanical properties by adding particle or fiber fillers to reinforce the polymer matrix. However, this often leads to the mechanical properties being enhanced slightly, but the shape‐memory effect of reinforced SMP composites being drastically reduced. The experimental results reported here suggested that the mechanical resistive loading and thermal conductivity of a composite (with hybrid filler content of 7.0 wt%) were improved by 160 and 200%, respectively, in comparison with those of pure bulk SMP. Also, the glass transition temperature of the composite was enhanced to 57.28 °C from the 46.38 °C of a composite filled with 5.5 wt% hybrid filler, as determined from differential scanning calorimetry measurements. Finally, the temperature distribution and recovery behavior of specimens were recorded with infrared video in a recovery test, where a 28 V direct current circuit was applied. The effectiveness of carbon black and short carbon fibers being incorporated into a SMP with shape recovery activated by electricity has been demonstrated. These hybrid fillers were explored to improve the mechanical and conductive properties of bulk SMP. Copyright © 2010 Society of Chemical Industry     

Characterization of a rigid silicone resin

Silicone resins have been used as binders for ceramic frit coatings and can withstand temperatures of 650°C to 1260°C. Conceptually, silicone resins can potentially be used as matrices for high temperature fiber‐reinforced composites. The mechanical and thermal properties of a commercially available silicone resin, Dow Corning® 6‐2230, were characterized. Neat 6‐2230 resin was found to have inferior room temperature mechanical properties such as flexural, tensile and fracture properties when compared to epoxy. The room temperature flexural properties and short beam shear strength of the silicone/glass composites were also found to be lower than those of epoxy/glass composite with similar glass content. However, the silicone resin had better elevated temperature properties. At an elevated temperature of 316°C, the retentions of flexural modulus and strength were 80% and 40% respectively of room temperature values; these were superior to those of phenolic/glass. Unlike the carbon‐based resins, the drop in flexural properties of the silicon/glass laminates with temperature leveled off with increase in temperature beyond 250°C. The resin weight loss at 316°C in 100 cm³/min of flowing air was small compared to other carbon‐based resins such as PMR‐15 and LaRC TPI. Only Avimid‐N appeared comparable to Dow Corning® 6‐2230.     

Geopolymer reinforced with E‐glass leno weaves

This study explores the viability of fiberglass‐geopolymer composites as an intermediate temperature structural ceramic composite. E‐glass fibers are cheap, readily available, resistant to heat, electricity and chemical attack. Geopolymers are refractory and can be processed at room temperature. However, pure geopolymers have low tensile strength and fracture toughness, as is typical of ceramics. In this work, tensile and flexure properties of metakaolin‐based sodium and potassium geopolymers reinforced with E‐glass leno weaves were measured and the data was analyzed by Weibull statistics. The average tensile and flexural strengths for sodium geopolymer reinforced with E‐glass leno weaves were 39.3 ± 7.2 MPa and 25.6 ± 4.8 MPa, respectively. For potassium geopolymer reinforced with E‐glass leno weaves, the average tensile and flexural strengths were 40.7 ± 9.9 MPa and 15.9 ± 4.0 MPa, respectively. The composites were heat treated for one hour at two temperatures, 300°C and 550°C and their flexure properties were studied at room temperatures. The average flexural strengths for sodium geopolymer reinforced with E‐glass leno weaves were reduced to 6.6 ± 1.0 MPa after heat treatment at 300°C, and 1.2 ± 0.3 MPa after heat treatment at 550°C, respectively. For potassium geopolymer reinforced with E‐glass leno weaves, the average flexural strengths were 6.1 ± 1.5 MPa and 1.3 ± 0.3 MPa after heat treatment at 300°C and 550°C, respectively. SEM and EDS were performed to observe the fiber‐matrix interface. XRD was done to check if the geopolymer was amorphous as expected.     

High performance graphene oxide‐modified polybenzoxazine resin

High performance polybenzoxazine resin can be obtained by introducing partially reduced graphene oxide (PRGO) into bis‐benzoxazine (B‐BOZ) resin to overcome the defects such as low char yield, weak mechanical properties, and poor toughness of B‐BOZ resin. By virtue of the good thermal resistance and graphitization acceleration of PRGO, thermal resistance especially char yield of B‐BOZ resin can be greatly improved to 62.1% at 800°C in nitrogen. Moreover, with the folds deformation and the crack deflection of PRGO in B‐BOZ resin, the mechanical properties such as flexural strength and interlaminar shear strength of the carbon fiber reinforced B‐BOZ composite, could be greatly increased by PRGO without a decrease on modulus of B‐BOZ composite. POLYM. COMPOS., 37:1507–1514, 2016. © 2014 Society of Plastics Engineers     

Eugenol‐Derived Bismaleimide High Performance Resins and Composites Using Diisocyanate as Property Modifier

A new kind of high performance bismaleimide resin with good processability and improved toughness is synthesized by chemical modification of 4,4′‐bismaleimidodiphenylmethane (BMI) by eugenol (EG) and different contents of 4,4′‐diphenylmethane diisocyanate (MDI). MDI‐EG‐BMI resins exhibit good thermal stability for its 5% weight loss temperatures around 300 °C and its residue of 41.61% at 900 °C, which are much higher than those of EG‐BMI resin. Then, the carbon fiber‐reinforced MDI‐EG‐BMI composites are fabricated. The mechanical properties of the composites matrixed by MDI‐EG‐BMI resins are better than those by EG‐BMI resin. For carbon/MDI‐EG‐BMI composites, their glass transition temperatures are higher than 300 °C, and their flexural strength, moduli, and toughness are maintained at a range of 217.47–404.36 MPa, 35.12–48.49 GPa, and 1.16–2.63 MJ m^?3 respectively; with the contents increasing of MDI in the resin formulation, the flexural properties first increase then decrease; comprehensively the composite with 30 wt% MDI has the best mechanical and thermal properties.     

Highly filled graphene‐benzoxazine composites as bipolar plates in fuel cell applications

This research emphasizes on the development of highly filled graphene‐polybenzoxazine composites and investigates thermal, electrical, and mechanical properties of the obtained composites for bipolar plate applications. The composition of graphene loading was achieved to be in the range of 10–60 wt%. The experimental results revealed that at the maximum graphene content of 60 wt% (44.8 vol%) in the polybenzoxazine, storage moduli at room temperature of the composites were considerably enhanced with the amount of the graphene, that is, from 5.9 GPa of the neat polybenzoxazine to about 25.1 GPa at 60 wt% of graphene. Glass transition temperatures (T_g) of the obtained composites were observed to be 174–188°C and the values substantially increased with increasing the filler contents. At 60 wt% of graphene content, thermal conductivity, as high as 8.0 W/mK, is achieved for the graphene‐filled polybenzoxazine. Furthermore, the flexural modulus and flexural strength of the composites were found to be as high as 18 GPa and 42 MPa, respectively. Water absorption of graphene filled‐composite is relatively low with the value of only about 0.06% at 24 h of water immersion. Additionally, electrical conductivity was measured to be 357 S/cm at maximum loading of the graphene. Therefore, the graphene‐filled composites based on polybenzoxazine are highly attractive as bipolar plates for polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells applications. POLYM. COMPOS., 37:1715–1727, 2016. © 2014 Society of Plastics Engineers     

Synergistic Effects of Carbon Fillers of Phenolic Resin Based Composite Bipolar Plates on the Performance of PEM Fuel Cell

The most essential and costly component of polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells is the bipolar plate. The production of suitable composite bipolar plates for polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell with good mechanical properties and high electrical conductivity is scientifically and technically very challenging. This paper reports the development of composite bipolar plates using exfoliated graphite, carbon black, and graphite powder in resole‐typed phenol formaldehyde. The exfoliated graphite with maximum exfoliated volume of 570 ± 10 mL g⁻¹ used in this study was prepared by microwave irradiation of chemically intercalated natural flake graphite in a few minutes. The composite plates were prepared by varying exfoliated graphite content from 10 to 35 wt.% in phenolic resin along with fixed weight percentage of carbon black (5 wt.%) and graphite powder (3 wt.%) by compression molding. The composite plates with filler weight percentage of 35/5/3/exfoliated graphite/carbon black/graphite powder offer in‐plane and trough‐plane electrical conductivities of 374.42 and 97.32 S cm⁻¹, bulk density 1.58 g cm⁻³, compressive strength 70.43 MPa, flexural strength 61.82 MPa, storage modulus 10.25 GPa, microhardness 73.23 HV and water absorption 0.22%. Further, I–V characteristics notify that exfoliated graphite/carbon black/graphite powder/resin composite bipolar plates in unit fuel cell shows better cell performance compared exfoliated graphite/resin composite bipolar plates. The composite plates own desired mechanical properties with low bulk density, high electrical conductivity, and good thermal stability as per the U.S. department of energy targets at low filler concentration and can be used as bipolar plates for proton exchange membrane fuel cells.     

Effect of quasi‐carbonization processing parameters on the mechanical properties of quasi‐carbon/phenolic composites

In this work, quasi‐carbon fabrics were produced by quasi‐carbonization processes conducted at and below 1200°C. Stabilized polyacrylonitrile (PAN) fabrics and quasi‐carbon fabrics were used as reinforcements of phenolic composites with a 50 wt %/50 wt % ratio of the fabric to the phenolic resin. The effect of the quasi‐carbonization process on the flexural properties, interfacial strength, and dynamic mechanical properties of quasi‐carbon/phenolic composites was investigated in terms of the flexural strength and modulus, interlaminar shear strength, and storage modulus. The results were also compared with those of a stabilized PAN fabric/phenolic composite. The flexural, interlaminar, and dynamic mechanical results were quite consistent with one another. On the basis of all the results, the quasi‐static and dynamic mechanical properties of quasi‐carbon/phenolic composites increased with the applied external tension and heat‐treatment temperature increasing and with the heating rate decreasing for the quasi‐carbonization process. This study shows that control of the processing parameters strongly influences not only the mechanical properties of quasi‐carbon/phenolic composites but also the interlaminar shear strength between the fibers and the matrix resin. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2008     

Improving delamination resistance of carbon fiber reinforced polymeric composite by interface engineering using carbonaceous nanofillers through electrophoretic deposition: An assessment at different in-service temperatures

In this article, modification of carbon fiber surface by carbon based nanofillers (multi-walled carbon nanotubes [CNT], carbon nanofibers, and multi-layered graphene) has been achieved by electrophoretic deposition technique to improve its interfacial bonding with epoxy matrix, with a target to improve the mechanical performance of carbon fiber reinforced polymer composites. Flexural and short beam shear properties of the composites were studied at extreme temperature conditions; in-situ cryo, room and elevated temperature (−196, 30, and 120°C respectively). Laminate reinforced with CNT grafted carbon fibers exhibited highest delamination resistance with maximum improvement in flexural strength as well as in inter-laminar shear strength (ILSS) among all the carbon fiber reinforced epoxy (CE) composites at all in-situ temperatures. CNT modified CE composite showed increment of 9% in flexural strength and 17.43% in ILSS when compared to that of unmodified CE composite at room temperature (30°C). Thermomechanical properties were investigated using dynamic mechanical analysis. Fractography was also carried out to study different modes of failure of the composites.     

Synergistic effects of carbon fillers on tensile and flexural properties in liquid‐crystal polymer based resins

One emerging market for thermally and electrically conductive resins is bipolar plates for use in fuel cells. Adding carbon fillers to thermoplastic resins increases the composite thermal and electrical conductivity. These fillers have an effect on the composite tensile and flexural properties, which are also important for bipolar plates. In this study, various amounts of three different types of carbon (carbon black, synthetic graphite particles, and carbon fibers) were added to Vectra A950RX liquid‐crystal polymer. In addition, composites containing combinations of fillers were also investigated via a factorial design. The tensile and flexural properties of the resulting composites were then measured. The objective of this study was to determine the effects and interactions of each filler with respect to the tensile and flexural properties. The addition of carbon black caused the tensile and flexural properties to decrease. Adding synthetic graphite particles caused the tensile and flexural modulus to increase. The addition of carbon fiber caused the tensile and flexural modulus and ultimate flexural strength to increase. In many cases, combining two different fillers caused a statistically significant effect on composite tensile and flexural properties at the 95% confidence level. For example, when 40 wt % synthetic graphite particles and 4 wt % carbon black were combined, the composite ultimate tensile and flexural strength increased more than what would be expected from the individual additive effect of each single filler. It is possible that linkages were formed between the carbon black and synthetic graphite particles that resulted in improved ultimate tensile and flexural strength. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2008     

Preparation of multiscale graphene oxide‐carbon fabric and its effect on mechanical properties of hierarchical epoxy resin composite

Graphene oxide (GO) was used to modify the surface of carbon fiber layers through electrophoretic deposition, forming a multiscale reinforcement fabric. By adjusting the experimental parameters, the resulting GO‐carbon fabric showed productive and homogenous distribution of thin and less‐agglomerate GO platelets on carbon fiber surface, remarkably enlarging the surface area and roughness of carbon fabric. To investigate the effect of GO sheets on composites, GO‐carbon fabric and carbon fabric‐reinforced hierarchical epoxy resin composites were respectively manufactured. Mechanical tests demonstrated that after introducing GO flakes on carbon fabric, both the flexural strength and interlaminar shear strength of composite had achieved an increase, especially the interlaminar shear strength rising by 34%. Through fractography analysis, it was found that in pure carbon fabric‐reinforced epoxy composite, the fiber/matrix debonding fracture mechanism predominated, while after the GO decoration on carbon fiber surface, the composite featured a stronger interfacial bonding, leading to the enhancement in mechanical properties of hierarchical epoxy resin composite. POLYM. COMPOS., 37:1515–1522, 2016. © 2014 Society of Plastics Engineers     

Synthesis and characterization of a novel silicon‐containing polytriazole resin

4,4′‐Diazidomethylbiphenyl (DAMBP) and poly(dimethylsilylene‐ethynylenephenyleneethynylene) (PDMSEPE) were thermally polymerized to form a novel silicon‐containing polytriazole resin (PDMSEPE‐DAMBP) by 1,3‐dipolar cycloaddition. Differential scanning calorimetry, FTIR, and ¹³C‐NMR were used to characterize the curing behaviors of PDMSEPE‐DAMBP resins. The results indicated that the resins could cure at temperatures as low as 80°C. Dynamic mechanical analysis showed that there was a glass transition at 302°C for the cured PDMSEPE‐DAMBP resin. The carbon fiber (T700) reinforced PDMSEPE‐DAMBP composites exhibited excellent mechanical properties at room temperature and high property retention at 250°C. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2009     

Preparation and properties of dipropargyl ether of bisphenol A‐modified bismaleimide resins and composites

A kind of modified bismaleimide resin, with good heat resistance and processing properties for advanced composites, was developed. The modifier, dipropargyl ether of bisphenol A (DPBPA), was prepared by a phase‐transfer catalyzing procedure, characterized by FTIR, ¹H NMR, and elementary analysis, and used to modify 4,4′‐bismaleimidodiphenylmethane (BMDPM). The thermopolymerization of a DPBPA‐modified BMDPM resin was followed up by FTIR. The curing of the resin was investigated by differential scanning calorimeter and gelation characterization. The relation of viscosity and temperature was used to characterize the processability of the resin. The results of DMA analysis showed that the cured DPBPA‐modified BMDPM resins had a glass transition temperature higher than 320°C. The carbon fiber (T700) reinforced composites showed excellent flexural properties at ambient temperature and at 250°C. DPBPA could effectively improve mechanical properties without deteriorating heat resistance of the BMDPM resin a lot. POLYM. COMPOS., 2008. © 2008 Society of Plastics Engineers     

Low Temperature‐Based Flexural Properties of Carbon Fiber/Epoxy Composite Laminates Incorporated with Carbon Nanotube Sheets

This study introduces carbon nanotube buckypaper (CNTBP) into the easily fractured sites of [0°]₁₆ and [0°/90°]_4S composite laminates, and comparatively explores how the CNTBP affects the flexural properties of the laminates at 25, ?15, and ?55 °C. Compared to the base [0°]₁₆ and [0°/90°]_4S laminates at the same temperature, improvements of the flexural strengths in the order of 4.0–15.3% and 6.5–31.0% are respectively obtained from the corresponding CNTBP‐reinforced [0°]₁₆ and [0°/90°]_4S laminates. Importantly, the lower the temperature is, the higher the strength improves. In fact, the CNTBP has little effect on the flexural moduli of the studied laminates, although there is an increasing trend with decreased temperature. Moreover, the introduced CNTBP would significantly change the fracture mechanism of the laminates at low temperature. The present work reveals that the CNTBP exhibits more positive reinforcing capability to the polymer matrix‐based composite laminates at relatively low temperatures.     

Effect of unfunctionalized and HNO3‐functionalized MWCNT on the mechanical and electrical performances of PEMFC bipolar plates

This study aims at developing lightweight and high performance electrically conductive nanocomposites for proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) bipolar plates (BPPs). These composites were made from an optimized co‐continuous mixture of Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) reinforced with highly conductive carbon additives composed of carbon black (CB) and synthetic graphite (GR). Multiwall carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) were functionalized then used to improve BPPs electrical conductivity and their mechanical properties, such as flexural and impact strengths. It was observed that the best BPP prototype was obtained using nitric acid (HNO₃)‐functionalized MWCNT. The latter led to the smothest BPP surface, the lowest through‐plane resitivity (0.12 Ω cm) and the highest impact and flexural strengths. These results are attributed to the improved dispersion of the functionalized MWCNT, a result of their best compatibilization with the (PET/PVDF) polymeric phase. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2016 , 133, 43624.     

In‐situ pultrusion of urea‐formaldehyde matrix composites. II: Effect of processing variables on mechanical properties

Unidirectional fiber reinforced urea‐formaldehyde (UF) composites have been prepared by the pultrusion processes. The effects of the processing parameters on the mechanical properties (flexural strength and flexural modulus, etc.) of the glass fiber reinforced UF composites by pultrusion has been studied. The processing variables investigated included die temperature, pulling speed, postcure temperature and time, filler type and content, and glass fiber content. The die temperature was determined from differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) diagram, swelling ratio, and mechanical properties tests. It was found that the mechanical properties increased with increasing die temperature and glass fiber content, and with decreasing pulling rate. The die temperature, pulling speed, and glass fiber content were determined to be 220°C, 20–80 cm/min, and 60–75 vol%, respectively. The mechanical properties reached a maximum value at 10, 5, 5, and 3 phr filler content corresponding to the kaolin, talc, mica, and calcium carbonate, respectively, and then decreased. The mechanical properties increase at a suitable postcure temperature and time. Furthermore, the properties that decreased due to the degradation of composite materials for a long postcure time are discussed. POLYM. COMPOS., 27:8–14, 2006. © 2005 Society of Plastics Engineers     

Low‐Dielectric Constant and Low‐Temperature Curable Polyimide/POSS Nanocomposites

With the rapid development of ultra large scale integrated circuits, low stress, low thermal expansion, low dielectric constant, and low temperature curable (<250 °C) polyimides (PIs) with excellent mechanical, thermal properties are required. Unfortunately, high curing temperatures above 300 °C and limited dielectric property still remain to be solved. Herein, a new type of aminopropyl isobutyl polysilsesquioxane (POSS) with single vertex activity is introduced by in situ polymerization resulting in the PI‐POSS nanocomposites which exhibit a low dielectric constant (κ ≤ 2.6). Furthermore, low‐temperature curing at 200 °C (99.4% imidization) under the catalysis of quinoline is also achieved. The as‐prepared PI‐POSS nanocomposites also show excellent mechanical properties of which the tensile strength can reach up to 148 MPa and the elongation at break achieves 98%. Moreover, the temperature of weight loss 5% is as high as 550 °C and the glass transition temperature can also reach 349 °C. The as‐prepared PI‐POSS nanocomposites prove excellent electrical performance and mechanical properties, showing a huge market prospect of 5G chip packaging and millimeter wave antenna in the future.