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

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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.