The effect of mold pressing pressure and composition on properties of nanocomposite bipolar plate for proton exchange membrane fuel cell

This paper is an attempt to introduce a suitable composite to be used in the bipolar plate of proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC). At first the effect of the mold pressing pressure and graphite content on the through-plane and in-plane electrical conductivities, flexural strength, hardness, density, porosity and water absorption of phenolic resin/graphite composite was investigated. The two mold pressing pressures, 15 and 740 bar were applied in 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70 and 80 wt.% graphite contents. The characterization was also conducted by an optical microscope, a stereoscope and the scanning electron microscopy. The results showed that the pressure considerably affects all properties and can dramatically change the porosity percentage of the composite. To improve conductivity and strength, the composite composition was modified by the nanosheet expanded graphite and carbon fiber. In an optimum composition, the in-plane and through-plane electrical conductivity and flexural strength reached 1518, 76 S/cm and 84 MPa, respectively. In this study, the contact resistance between the bipolar plate and carbon paper (as a gas diffusion layer) was also determined by changing the clamping pressure.     

膨胀石墨/酚醛树脂-聚乙烯醇缩丁醛复合双极板的制备与性能

采用聚乙烯醇缩丁醛（PVB）对酚醛树脂（PF）进行改性,并以膨胀石墨为第一导电填料,用模压成型法制备了新型质子交换膜燃料电池用膨胀石墨/PF-PVB复合材料双极板。研究了PVB与PF质量比、改性树脂含量及炭黑的添加对膨胀石墨/PF-PVB复合材料双极板电导率、抗弯强度等性能的影响。结果表明,当改性树脂质量分数固定为30wt%时,膨胀石墨/PF-PVB复合材料双极板在PVB：PF=0.5时表现出最佳的电导率及抗弯强度,分别为192.3 S/cm、47.25 MPa,与不添加PVB的膨胀石墨/PF复合材料双极板相比,平面内电导率和抗弯强度分别提高了12.3%、14.2%。在PVB含量固定的条件下（PVB：PF=0.5）,当改性树脂的质量分数由25wt%增加至45wt%时,膨胀石墨/PF-PVB复合材料双极板的电导率下降,而抗弯强度增加。进一步添加炭黑提高膨胀石墨/PF-PVB复合材料双极板的导电性能,当改性树脂质量分数固定为45wt%时,炭黑添加量为4wt%的试样表现出最佳的平面电导率和面比电阻,分别为137 S/cm、14.4 mΩ·cm²。     

Characterization of epoxy functionalized graphite nanoparticles and the physical properties of epoxy matrix nanocomposites

This work presents a novel approach to the functionalization of graphite nanoparticles. The technique provides a mechanism for covalent bonding between the filler and matrix, with minimal disruption to the sp² hybridization of the pristine graphene sheet. Functionalization proceeded by covalently bonding an epoxy monomer to the surface of expanded graphite, via a coupling agent, such that the epoxy concentration was measured as approximately 4 wt.%. The impact of dispersing this material into an epoxy resin was evaluated with respect to the mechanical properties and electrical conductivity of the graphite–epoxy nanocomposite. At a loading as low as 0.5 wt.%, the electrical conductivity was increased by five orders of magnitude relative to the base resin. The material yield strength was increased by 30% and Young’s modulus by 50%. These results were realized without compromise to the resin toughness.     

Manufacture of a polymer-based carbon nanocomposite as bipolar plate of proton exchange membrane fuel cells

The aim of this paper is to prepare a polymer-based carbon nanocomposite reinforced by carbon fiber cloth (CF) to be utilized as bipolar plate of proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cell. For this purpose, some single, double, and triple-filler composites were manufactured by using phenolic resin as polymer (P) and graphite (G), carbon fiber (CF) and expanded graphite (EG) as fillers. The production method was compression-molding technique. The electrical conductivity, flexural strength, toughness, hardness, porosity, and hydrogen permeability tests were then measured to determine the mechanical and physical properties. A triple-filler composite containing 45 wt.% G, 10 wt.% CF, 5 wt.% EG, reinforced by a layer of CF cloth, was selected as composite bipolar plate. The electrical conductivity, thermal conductivity, and flexural strength of this composite were 74 S/cm, 9.6 W/m K, and 74 MPa, respectively, which are higher than the specified value by department of energy in USA (DOE). The composite bipolar plate used in the single fuel cell assembly showed a maximum power density 810 mW/cm². In this paper, a material selection was performed on the different materials of bipolar plates. It can be concluded that the composite bipolar plates are more suitable for high life time stationary applications.     

A novel carbon-based nanocomposite plate as a counter electrode for dye-sensitized solar cells

This study develops cost effective and high performance composite conductive plates for use in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). Composite plates with various graphite contents at a constant carbon nanotube (CNT) loading were prepared by bulk molding compound (BMC) process. Results show that the bulk electrical resistance of the composite plate gradually decreases from 6.7 mΩ cm to 1.7 mΩ cm as the graphite content increases, which is due to the formation of efficient electronic conducting networks. For DSSCs, the composite plates may be suitable substitutes for the conductive glass plates in the counter electrodes substrates of DSSCs. Results reveal that composite plates at the optimum level (80 wt.% graphite loading) provide lower cell resistance, lower preparation cost and higher cell performance than common conductive glass plates. Therefore, in order to decrease the cost of the cells and to maintain good cell performance, this graphite-like composite plate prepared by the BMC process is a promising substitute component for DSSCs.     

Effect of matrix glass transition on reinforcement efficiency of epoxy-matrix composites with single walled carbon nanotubes,multi-walled carbon nanotubes,carbon nanofibers and graphite

This study compares the mechanical and thermal properties of glassy and rubbery epoxy–matrix composites reinforced with 1 and 4 wt.% single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs), multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs), graphite, and carbon nanofibers (CNFs). The tensile modulus of most glassy composites was higher than that of the epoxy and increased with higher filler concentration and 4% graphite/epoxy and 4% SWCNT/epoxy exhibited approximately the same highest tensile modulus. The elongation of glassy composites was significantly lower than that of the epoxy and decreased with increasing filler loading. Most rubbery composites showed a higher tensile modulus and elongation than the epoxy and the modulus increased with rising filler content and 4% SWCNT/epoxy showed the highest tensile modulus and tensile strength. In the rubbery regime, glassy and rubbery composites displayed a higher storage modulus than the corresponding epoxy and 4 wt.% SWCNT/epoxy composites showed a 300% improvement in storage modulus compared to the epoxy.     

Polyethersulfone-expanded graphite nanocomposites: Charge transport and impedance characteristics

Polyethersulfone (PES)-expanded graphite nanocomposites have been prepared by solution blending route after sonicating expanded graphite in dichloromethane. It has been observed that ultrasonication results in nanosheets formation leading to a low percolation threshold of 3 wt.%. At 5 wt.% filler loading the conductivity is of the order of 10⁻² S/cm. Hopping type of charge transport occurs at 3.2 wt.% expanded graphite in PES below which capacitive effects couple. The effective dielectric constant at low frequency increases with filler concentration. Impedance measurement has been carried out to evaluate interfacial capacitance which, for 3.2 wt.% expanded graphite addition in PES, increases to 110 pF from 32 pF for 1 wt.% expanded graphite in the polymer. DSC analysis shows an increment of 12 °C in the T_g of PES with 3 wt.% expanded graphite suggesting interaction between the polymer and filler.     

Assessment of transverse impact damage in GF/EP laminates of conductive nanoparticles using electrical resistivity tomography

GF/EP composite laminates with an epoxy matrix modified by carbon black (CB) of 2.0 wt.% and copper chloride (CC) were manufactured by the vacuum assisted resin infusion (VARI) technique. The effects of CB nanoparticles and CC on improvement in Modes I and II interlaminar fracture toughness and impact damage resistance and on the electrical conductivity of GF/EP laminate composites were investigated. Delamination growth was calibrated by in situ electrical resistance changes during interlaminar fracture tests. The relationship between growth of delamination and change in electrical resistance was characterised. A damage index based on the change in electrical resistance was introduced, and a new method of electrical resistivity tomography was developed to access transverse impact damage in GF/EP laminates based on a matrix of conductive points in both in-plane and through-thickness directions. The damage images from in-plane and through-thickness electrical resistivity tomography were finally estimated with the corresponding C-scan.     

Carbon black/graphite nanoplatelet/rubbery epoxy hybrid composites for thermal interface applications

Hybrid composites were developed by dispersing carbon black (CB) nanoparticles and graphite nanoplatelets (GNPs) at 4–6 and 12–14 wt%, respectively, into rubbery epoxy resin. SEM analysis showed that CB particles improved the dispersion of GNPs in the hybrid composite. The thermal conductivity of 4 wt% CB/14 wt% GNP-15/rubbery epoxy hybrid composite, 0.81 W/m K, is ca. four times higher than that of rubbery epoxy. When silane-functionalised, the fillers reduced the viscosity of the hybrid dispersion and made the hybrid composite highly electrically insulating. Nevertheless, filler functionalisation decreased the composite’s thermal conductivity by only 16.6%. Compression testing showed that the hybrid fillers increased the compressive modulus and strength of rubbery epoxy by nearly two and three times, respectively. Overall, the hybrid composites with their thermal paste-type morphology, low viscosity, high compliance, improved thermal conductivity and, when fillers are functionalised, low electrical conductivity makes them promising materials as thermal interface adhesives.     

Enhanced conductivity behavior of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) hybrid composites containing exfoliated graphite nanoplatelets and carbon nanotubes

Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) hybrid composites consisting of exfoliated graphite nanoplatelets (xGnPs) and multiwalled carbon nanotubes functionalized with hydroxyl groups (MWCNTs-OH) were fabricated, and the effects of the xGnP/MWCNT-OH ratio on the thermal, electrical, and mechanical properties of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) hybrid composites were investigated. With the total filler content fixed at 4 wt%, a hybrid composite consisting of 75% × GnP/25% MWCNT-OH showed the highest thermal conductivity (0.392 W/m K) and electrical conductivity (1.24 × 10⁻³ S/m), which significantly exceeded the values shown by either of the respective single filler composites. The increased thermal and electrical conductivity found when both fillers are used in combination is attributed to the synergistic effect between the fillers that forms an interconnected hybrid network. In contrast, the various different combinations of the fillers only showed a modest effect on the mechanical behavior, thermal stability, and thermal expansion of the PDMS composite.     

Effects of hybrid carbon fillers of polymer composite bipolar plates on the performance of direct methanol fuel cells

The effects of carbon filler type on the properties and performance of composite bipolar plates fabricated by compression molding of carbon fillers such as graphite, carbon black (CB), multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWNT), carbon fiber (CF) and powder type epoxy have been investigated. The electrical conductivity and flexural properties of the composites are increased by increasing the content of fibrous conducting fillers, e.g. MWNT and CF. On the contrary, incorporation of particulate fillers such as CB and graphite plays a significant role in enhancing the electrical conductivity but has a negative effect on the flexural properties of the composites. The current–voltage curve of the fuel cell indicates that the performance of the fuel cell is improved upon selection of an optimum amount of carbon filler in the composite bipolar plates.     

Mechanical,electrical, thermal and tribological behavior of epoxy resin composites reinforced with waste hemp-derived carbon fibers

Short hemp fibers, an agricultural waste, were used for producing biochar by pyrolysis at 1000 °C. The so-obtained hemp-derived carbon fibers (HFB) were used as filler for improving the properties of an epoxy resin using a simple casting and curing process. The addition of HFB in the epoxy matrix increases the storage modulus while damping factor is lowered. Also, the incorporation of HFB induces a remarkable increment of electrical conductivity reaching up to 6 mS/m with 10 wt% of loading. A similar trend is also observed during high-frequency measurements. Furthermore, for the first time wear of these composites has been studied. The use of HFB is an efficient method for reducing the wear rate resistance and the friction coefficient (COF) of the epoxy resin. Excellent results are obtained for the composite containing 2.5 wt% of HFB, for which COF and wear rate decrease by 21% and 80%, respectively, as compared with those of the unfilled epoxy resin. The overall results prove how a common waste carbon source can significantly wide epoxy resin applications by a proper modulation of its electrical and wear properties.

Graphical abstract

     

CF/EP composite laminates with carbon black and copper chloride for improved electrical conductivity and interlaminar fracture toughness

An experimental study was conducted to improve the electrical conductivity of continuous carbon fibre/epoxy (CF/EP) composite laminate, with simultaneous improvement in mechanical performance, by incorporating nano-scale carbon black (CB) particles and copper chloride (CC) electrolyte into the epoxy matrix. CF/EP laminates of 65 vol.% of carbon fibres were manufactured using a vacuum-assisted resin infusion (VARI) technique. The effects of CB and the synergy of CB/CC on electrical resistivity, tensile strength and elastic modulus and fracture toughness (K_IC) of the epoxy matrix were experimentally characterised, as well as the transverse tensile modulus and strength, Mode I and Mode II interlaminar fracture toughness of the CF/EP laminates. The results showed that the addition of up to 3.0 wt.% CB in the epoxy matrix, with the assistance of CC, noticeably improved the electrical conductivity of the epoxy and the CF/EP laminates, with mechanical performance also enhanced to a certain extent.     

Superior mechanical and electrical properties of multiwall carbon nanotube reinforced acrylonitrile butadiene styrene high performance composites

In-house synthesized multiwall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) have been dispersed in acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) using a micro twin-screw extruder with back flow channel. The electrical and mechanical properties of MWCNTs in ABS with different wt% have been studied. Incorporation of only 3 wt. % MWCNTs in ABS leads to significant enhancement in the tensile strength (up to 69.4 MPa) which was equivalent to 29% increase over pure ABS. The effect of MWCNTs on the structural behaviour of ABS under tensile loading showed a ductile to brittle transition with increase concentration of MWCNTs. The results of enhanced mechanical properties were well supported by micro Raman spectroscopic and scanning electron microscopic studies. In addition to the mechanical properties, electrical conductivity of these composites increased from 10⁻¹² to 10⁻⁵ Scm⁻¹ showing an improvement of ∼7 orders of magnitude. Due to significant improvement in the electrical conductivity, EMI shielding effectiveness of the composites is achieved up to −39 dB for 10 wt. % loaded MWCNTs/ABS indicating the usefulness of this material for EMI shielding in the Ku-band. The mechanism of improvement in EMI shielding effectiveness is discussed by resolving their contribution in absorption and reflection loss. This material can be used as high-strength EMI shielding material.     

Thermal conductivity of graphene nanoplatelets filled composites fabricated by solvent-free processing for the excellent filler dispersion and a theoretical approach for the composites containing the geometrized fillers

The thermal conductivity of polymer composites containing nanofillers such as GNP (graphene nanoplatelet) and carbon black (CB) was investigated using experimental and theoretical approaches. We developed a fabrication method that allows different shapes and sizes of nanofillers to be highly dispersed in polymer resin. When the bulk and in-plane thermal conductivities of the fabricated composites were measured, they were found to increase rapidly as the GNP filler content increased. The in-plane thermal conductivity of composites with 20 wt.% GNP filler was found to reach a maximum value of 1.98 W/m K. The measured thermal conductivities were compared with the calculated values based on a micromechanics model where the waviness of nanofillers could be taken into account. The waviness of the incorporated GNP filler is an important physical factor that determines the thermal conductivity of composites and must be taken into consideration in theoretical calculations.     

Electrical conductivities of carbon powder nanofillers and their latex-based polymer composites

The electrical conductivity of graphene, multi-wall carbon nanotubes, carbon black nanopowders and graphite powder is characterized using paper-like films and by means of powder compression. The large difference in surface area of these materials results in different packing density and number of contact spots, influencing the macroscopic conductivity of the compacts during powder compression. The results are compared with the percolation threshold and final conductivity of polypropylene (PP) composites, using latex technology for the incorporation of the carbon fillers in the polymer. Even though the PP composites produced in this work exhibit percolation thresholds as low as 0.3 wt.%, the final conductivity for all the composites is below 1.5 S/m. Reasons why the high value of ∼10³ S/m, which is obtained for graphene- and nanotube-based paper films or graphite compacts, is not reached for the composites are investigated.     

石墨/炭黑/改性树脂导电复合材料的电学性能研究

以改性环氧树脂为基体、石墨\炭黑为混合导电填料制备了导电复合材料。分析了材料的导电机理,研究导电填料含量与电阻率之间的关系。结果表明:当石墨为15%、炭黑20%时制备的复合材料具有良好的导电性,电阻率为16.4Ω.cm。同时测试了复合材料的伏安特性曲线,发现其呈现非线性欧姆关系,具有正温度系数效应(PTC)。     

Electrical conductivity of ion-doped graphite/polyethersulphone composites

The electrical conductivity of polyethersulphone (PES) insulating polymer was improved by incorporation of electrically conductive graphite and ions. An initial conducting pathway of the PES/graphite composites was formed at lower than 3 wt.% of the filler content. LiCl was found to be an effective dopant for the improvement of the electrical conductivities of the PES/graphite composites. By doping with 0.06 wt.% of LiCl the electrical conductivity was enhanced by two orders of magnitude. The enhancement resulted from intercalation of Li⁺ ions into interlayer spaces of the graphite. Upon intercalation, an acceptor GIC, Li-GIC, was consequently formed. The stability of the improved electrical conductivities of the composites contributed with doped-ions was assessed. The electrical conductivity of both un-doped and doped graphite/PES composites slightly increased with increasing temperature and slightly decreased by physical ageing. The enhancement of the electrical conductivities by doping ions was stable at the high temperatures.     

Strain sensing in polymer/carbon nanotube composites by electrical resistance measurement

In this work multiwall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) dispersed in a polymer matrix have been used for strain sensing of the resulting nanocomposite under tensile loading. This was achieved by measuring the relative electrical resistance change (ΔR/R₀) in conductive polyvinylidenefluoride (PVDF)/MWCNTs nanocomposites prepared by melt-mixing with varying filler content from 0.5 wt.% to 8 wt.%. Two main parameters were systematically studied. The PVDF/MWCNTs mixing procedure that results in a successful MWCNTs dispersion, and the effect of MWCNTs content on material’s sensing behaviour. The samples were subjected to tensile loading and the longitudinal strain was monitored together with the longitudinal electrical resistance. The results showed that MWCNTs dispersed in insulating PVDF matrix have the potential to be used as a sensitive network to monitor the strain levels in polymer/carbon nanotube nanocomposites as the deformation level of each sample was being reflected by the resistance changes.     

Synthesis and properties of sandwiched films of epoxy resin and graphene/cellulose nanowhiskers paper

Graphene (GN)-based composite paper containing 10 wt.% cellulose nanowhiskers (CNWs) exhibiting a tensile strength of 31.3 MPa and electrical conductivity of 16 800 S/m was prepared by ultrasonicating commercial GN powders in aqueous CNWs suspension. GN/CNWs freestanding paper was applied to prepare the sandwiched films by dip coating method. The sandwiched films showed enhanced tensile strength by over two times higher than the neat resins. The moduli of the sandwiched films were around 300 times of the pure resins due to the high content of GN/CNWs paper. The glass transition temperature of the sandwiched films increased from 51.2 °C to 57.1 °C for pure epoxy (E888) and SF (E888), and 49.8 °C to 64.8 °C for pure epoxy (650) and SF (650), respectively. The bare conductive GN/CNWs paper was well protected by the epoxy resin coating, which is promising in the application as anti-static materials, electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding materials.