Manufacturing of polypropylene-graphite composite sheet as precursor for bipolar plates of Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells (PEMFC)

制造作为质子交换膜燃料电池（PEMFC）双极板前体的聚丙烯-石墨复合片材

• 批准号: 523446-2018
• 负责人: Rizvi, Ghaus
• 金额: $ 0.78万
• 依托单位: University of Ontario Institute of Technology
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Engage Plus Grants Program
• 财政年份: 2018
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2018-01-01 至 2019-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=663434
• 关键词: Manufacturing; polypropylene; graphite; composite; sheet

Hydrogen is a clean source of energy with zero Green House Gas emissions, and a very efficient method of**obtaining power from hydrogen is by using fuel cells, which generate electricity by an electrochemical reaction**in which oxygen and hydrogen combine to form water and hence there are no harmful emissions. Hydrogenics**Corporation, a Canadian company, is one of the market leaders in providing hydrogen fuel cells and**electrolyzers, all over the world. A major component of fuel cells, the bipolar plates cost about one third of the**total cost of the fuel cells. Therefore, development of bipolar plates that have better properties and can be**produced more economically will be of great value in the development of this technology. In 2017,**Hydrogenics Corporation collaborated with the Principal Investigator (PI) Prof. Ghaus Rizvi of the University**of Ontario Institute of Technology (UOIT) to develop a compounding process to produce**polypropylene-graphite composites for bipolar plates. The composite specimen with various compositions were**produced and tested for electrical and mechanical properties. A number of these had the desired characteristics**and can be used for fabrication of bipolar plates. Hydrogenics Corporation is now interested in development of**a process for production of actual bipolar plates using these composites. Hence, this Engage Plus grant will**focus on the design and development of a sheet extrusion setup for Bipolar plates through a sheet die followed**by compression of the sheet into bipolar plates. The composite, which is polymer loaded with 70 to 80 wt % of**particulate graphite and other solid conductive materials, has complex flow behavior. The experimental study**will involve composites' compounding, composites' sheets and bipolar plates processing as well as material**rheological characterization for proper sheet die design. Successful completion of this project will lead great**economic windfall for the company as well as for Canadian economy.

氢是一种清洁能源，没有绿色气体排放，从氢中获得电力的一种非常有效的方法是使用燃料电池，燃料电池通过电化学反应产生电力，其中氧气和氢气联合收割机结合形成水，因此没有有害排放物。Hydrogenics**Corporation是一家加拿大公司，是全球氢燃料电池和电解槽的市场领导者之一。作为燃料电池的主要部件，双极板的成本约占燃料电池总成本的三分之一。因此，开发性能更好、生产成本更低的双极板对该技术的发展具有重要价值。2017年，**Hydrogenics Corporation与安大略理工学院（UOIT）大学 ** 的首席研究员（PI）Ghaus Rizvi教授合作开发了一种复合工艺，以生产用于双极板的 ** 聚丙烯-石墨复合材料。制备了不同成分的复合材料试样，并测试了其电性能和力学性能。其中许多具有所需的特性 **，可用于制造双极板。Hydrogenics公司现在有兴趣开发一种使用这些复合材料生产实际双极板的工艺。因此，该Engage Plus赠款将 ** 重点关注双极板的片材挤出装置的设计和开发，该装置通过片材模具，然后 ** 将片材压缩成双极板。该复合材料是负载有70至80重量%的颗粒石墨和其他固体导电材料的聚合物，具有复杂的流动行为。实验研究 ** 将涉及复合材料的复合，复合材料的片材和双极板的加工以及材料 ** 流变特性，以进行适当的片材模具设计。该项目的成功完成将为公司和加拿大经济带来巨大的经济意外之财。