SBIR Phase II: Novel Lightweight, Low Cost Fuel Cell Membrane Electrode Assemblies

SBIR二期项目涉及开发功率密度(kW/L)和比功率(kW/kg)、降低成本和简化组装的质子交换膜(PEM)燃料电池。研制了一种新型导电聚合物薄膜，既可用作质子交换膜燃料电池的气体扩散层，又可用作双极板。这种材料重量轻、价格便宜、高导电性、化学惰性、易于加工和耐腐蚀。在PEM燃料电池中使用这种导电聚合物将减少电池的重量、体积和成本，同时简化电池组装。在二期工程中，导电聚合物材料将被优化为双极板和气体扩散层，并将它们集成到PEM燃料电池组中。这种新材料因其多功能、轻质、高效和低成本而具有巨大的商业潜力。潜在客户是目前使用氢、甲醇和重整碳氢燃料的PEM燃料电池的开发商。这包括所有汽车制造商和固定式燃料电池动力系统制造商。

This SBIR Phase II project concerns the development of proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cells with improved power density (kW/L) and specific power (kW/kg), reduced cost, and simplified assembly. A new type of electrically conductive polymer sheet has been developed that can be used as both, gas diffusion layer and bipolar plate in PEM fuel cells. The material is light, inexpensive, highly conductive, chemically inert, easy to process, and corrosion resistant. The use of this conductive polymer in PEM fuel cells will reduce cell weight, volume, and cost, while simplifying cell assembly. During the Phase II project, the conductive polymer materials will be optimized as bipolar plates and gas diffusion layers, and they will be integrated into PEM fuel cell stacks.The new material has significant commercial potential because of its multifunctionality, lightweight, effectiveness, and low cost. The potential customers are developers currently working with PEM fuel cells operating on hydrogen, methanol, and reformed hydrocarbon fuels. This includes all of the automotive manufacturers and the manufacturers of stationary fuel cell power systems.