Evaluation of fiber-reinforced bipolar plate for PEM fuel cell

PEM 연료전지용 섬유강화 분리판의 특성 평가

The bipolar plate is a major component of the PEM fuel cell stack, which takes a large portion of stack cost. In this study, as alternative materials for bipolar plate of PEM fuel cells, graphite composites were fabricated by compression molding. Graphite particles mixed with epoxy resin were used as the main substance to provide electric conductivity. To achieve desired electric properties, specimens made with different mixing ratio, processing pressure and temperature were tested. To increase mechanical strength, one or two layer of woven carbon fabric were added to the original graphite and resin composite. Thus, the composite material is consisted of the three phases: graphite particles, epoxy resin, and carbon fabric. By increasing mixing ratio, fabricated pressure and process temperature, electric conductivity was improved. The results of tensile test showed that the tensile strength of two-phase graphite composite was about 5MPa, and that of three-phase composite was increased to 54MPa.