Composites Research

The Korean Society for Composite Materials (한국복합재료학회)
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Development of Composite Bipolar Plate for Vanadium Redox Flow Battery

바나듐 레독스 흐름 전지용 복합재료 분리판 개발

  • Lim, Jun Woo (Graduate School of Flexible and Printable Electronics & Department of Mechatronics Engineering & LANL-CBNU Engineering Institute-Korea, Jeonbuk National University)
  • Received : 2021.06.16
  • Accepted : 2021.06.17
  • Published : 2021.07.01
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Abstract

Carbon/epoxy composite bipolar plate (BP) is a BP that is likely to replace existing graphite bipolar plate of vanadium redox flow cell (VRFB) due to its high mechanical properties and productivity. Multi-functional carbon/epoxy composite BP requires graphite coating or additional surface treatment to reduce interfacial contact resistance (ICR). However, the expanded graphite coating has the disadvantage of having low durability under VRFB operating conditions, and the surface treatments incur additional costs. In this work, an excessive resin absorption method is developed, which uniformly removes the resin rich area on the surface of the BP to expose carbon fibers by applying polyester fabric. This method not only reduces ICR by exposing carbon fibers to BP surfaces, but also forms a unique ditch pattern that can effectively hold carbon felt electrodes in place. The acidic environmental durability, mechanical properties, and gas permeability of the developed carbon/epoxy composite BP are experimentally verified.

탄소/에폭시 복합재료 분리판(BP)은 높은 기계적 특성과 생산성으로 인해 바나듐 레독스 흐름전지(VRFB)의 기존 흑연 분리판을 대체할 가능성이 있는 BP이다. 다기능 구조인 탄소/에폭시 복합재료 BP는 계면접촉저항(ICR)을 줄이기 위해 흑연 코팅 또는 추가 표면 처리가 필요하다. 그러나 팽창 흑연 코팅은 VRFB 작동 조건에서 낮은 내구성을 가지며 별도의 표면 처리는 추가 비용이 발생한다는 단점이 있다. 본 연구에서는 폴리에스테르 직물을 적용하여 탄소/에폭시 복합재료 BP 표면의 잉여 수지층을 균일하게 제거하여 탄소섬유를 노출시키는 잉여 수지 흡수법을 개발하였다. 이 방법은 BP 표면에 탄소섬유를 노출하여 ICR을 감소시킬 뿐만 아니라 탄소 펠트 전극을 효과적으로 고정할 수 있는 고유한 도랑 패턴을 형성한다. 잉여 수지 흡수법에 의해 제작된 복합재료 BP의 산성 환경 내구성, 기계적 특성 및 기체 투과도에 대해 실험적으로 검증하였다.

Keywords

Acknowledgement

본 연구는 한국연구재단의 지원을 받아 수행된 NRF-2019R1C1C1010418의 지원을 받아 수행된 것이며, 지원에 대해 진심으로 감사드립니다.

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