Highly Conductive Polymer Nanocomposites for Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell (PEMFC) Bipolar Plates: Valuation of a high-purity graphite extracted from a Canadian graphite mine

质子交换膜燃料电池(PEMFC)技术的大规模应用将打破对化石燃料的依赖，减少温室气体排放，目前正引起研究者和政策制定者的极大兴趣。目前，大多数研究都集中在通过开发新的性能材料和工业加工技术来提高PEMFC的性能和降低其生产成本，其中包括最昂贵/最大的组件-双极板的那些技术。考虑到我们在PEMFC双极板和气体扩散层用导电聚合物基纳米复合材料方面的专业知识，这个由新世界石墨(NMG)和塑料Gagnon发起的合作项目的主要目标是在PEMFC双极板用新型、更轻、更便宜的聚合物/石墨纳米复合材料配方中整合高纯石墨(由NMG开发)。主要目标之一是对锂离子电池中使用的这种特殊等级的石墨进行估值。NMG打算成为世界领先的PEMFC制造商的高性能石墨的战略供应商，而注塑技术部件等汽车行业的知名企业Plattique Gagnon将参与通过注塑-压缩工艺优化薄型BPP的制造工艺。我们相信，该项目将有益于提高燃料电池行业的竞争力，并将有助于确保加拿大在这一尖端清洁能源技术方面增强其全球竞争力。

Proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) technology is presently attracting a great interest to both researchers and policy makers because their large-scale use will break fossil fuel dependency and reduce greenhouse gases. Most research currently focuses on the improvement of PEMFCs performances and the reduction of their production cost by developing new performant materials and industrial processing techniques, including those for the most expensive/massive components, the bipolar plates.Considering our expertise at Université Laval and Université de Sherbrooke in conductive polymer-based nanocomposites for PEMFC bipolar plates and gas diffusion layers, the main goal of this collaborative project initiated by the two industrial partners Nouveau Monde Graphite (NMG) and Plastiques Gagnon is to carry out a detailed study on the integration of a high-purity graphite (developed in Quebec by NMG) into the formulation of new, lighter and less expensive polymer/graphite nanocomposite materials for PEMFC bipolar plates. One of the main objectives is the valuation of this special grade of graphite used among others in lithium-ion batteries. NMG intends to become a strategic supplier of high-performance graphite to the world's leading manufacturers of PEMFCs, and Plastiques Gagnon, a well-known player in the injection of technical parts, among others for the automotive sector, will be involved in the optimization of the manufacturing process for thin BPPs through the injection-compression process.We believe that this project will beneficially contribute to the fuel cell industry competitiveness and will help to ensure that Canada increases its competitive global lead in this cutting-edge and clean energy technology.