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

氢是一种清洁的能源，没有温室气体排放，从氢中获取能量的一种非常有效的方法是使用燃料电池，它通过电化学反应产生电能，其中氧和氢结合形成水，因此没有有害的排放物。加拿大氢能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组成部分，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的价值。2017年，**Hydrogenics Corporation与安大略省理工大学（UOIT）的首席研究员（PI）教授gaus Rizvi合作，开发了一种复合工艺，用于生产双极板用聚丙烯-石墨复合材料。制作了不同成分的复合材料试样，并进行了电学和力学性能测试。其中许多具有所需的特性**，可用于制造双极板。氢能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补助金将**专注于设计和开发通过板材模具将板材压缩成双极板的板材挤压装置。该复合材料是聚合物，含有70%至80%的颗粒石墨和其他固体导电材料，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。这个项目的成功完成将为公司和加拿大经济带来巨大的经济收益。

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.