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

SBIR二期项目关注质子交换膜（PEM）燃料电池的开发，该燃料电池具有更高的功率密度（kW/L）和比功率（kW/kg），降低了成本，简化了组装。研制了一种新型导电聚合物片材，既可作为PEM燃料电池的气体扩散层，又可作为双极板。这种材料质轻、价格低廉、导电性好、化学惰性强、易加工、耐腐蚀。在PEM燃料电池中使用这种导电聚合物将减少电池重量、体积和成本，同时简化电池组装。在二期项目中，导电高分子材料将被优化为双极板和气体扩散层，并集成到PEM燃料电池堆中。这种新材料具有多功能、轻量、高效、低成本等特点，具有巨大的商业潜力。潜在的客户是目前正在研究PEM燃料电池的开发人员，这些电池可以使用氢、甲醇和转化的碳氢化合物燃料。这包括所有的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.