• 한국수소및신에너지학회논문집
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• 제23권2호
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• pp.134-142
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• 2012

A bipolar plate is a major component of a fuel cell stack, which occupies 50~60% of the total weight and over 50% of the total cost of a typical fuel cell stack. In this study, a composite bipolar plate is designed and fabricated to develop a compact and light-weight direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC) stack for a small-scale Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) application. The composite bipolar plates for DMFCs are prepared by a compression molding method using resole type phenol resin as a binder and natural graphite and carbon black as a conductor filler and tested in terms of electrical conductivity, mechanical strength and hydrogen permeability. The flexural strength of 63 MPa and the in-plane electrical conductivities of 191 S $cm^{-1}$ are achieved under the optimum bipolar plate composition of phenol : 18%; natural graphite : 82%; carbon black : 3%, indicating that the composite bipolar plates exhibit sufficient mechanical strength, electrical conductivity and hydrogen permeability to be applied in a DMFC stack. A DMFC with the composite bipolar plate is tested and shows a similar cell performance with a conventional DMFC with graphite-based bipolar plate.

• 한국신재생에너지학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국신재생에너지학회 2008년도 춘계학술대회 논문집
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• pp.73-76
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• 2008

Bipolar Plates for PEMFC have been a key component of fuel cells with MEA, thus in this research they have been fabricated by a compression molding technique after mixing graphite powder with phenol resin. The results have shown the prominent properties compared with those by foreign advanced company with respect to the electrical conductivity and flexural strength. In addition, it has been carried out that the Voltage-Current characteristics comparison according to the unit cell experiments of bipolar plates. As a result, we have obtained good performances and we are going to research the molding feasibility of bipolar plate's flow channel.

• Composites Research
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• 제29권5호
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• pp.243-248
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• 2016

열경화성 탄소 섬유 복합재료 분리판은 높은 기계적 특성뿐만 아니라 높은 내산성을 갖으나, 높은 제조단가 및 낮은 자체저항이 극복해야 할 가장 큰 장애물이다. 따라서 본 연구에서는, 열가소성 폴리머를 복합재료 분리판의 기지로 적용하여 분리판 생산성과 자체저항이 모두 증가된 열가소성 탄소 복합재료 분리판을 개발하였다. 전기 전도도 및 기계 강도를 증가시기키 위하여 평직 형태의 탄소 섬유 직물을 사용하였으며, 분리판의 자체 저항을 감소시키기 위하여 전도성 나노입자를 열가소성 기지에 혼합하였다. 개발된 분리판의 면적 비저항 및 기계물성을 고온 연료전지 작동 온도 및 스택의 체결압에 따라 측정하였다.

• 한국재료학회지
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• 제27권12호
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• pp.664-671
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• 2017

A composite material was prepared for the bipolar plates of phosphoric acid fuel cells(PAFC) by hot pressing a flake type natural graphite powder as a filler material and a fluorine resin as a binder. Average particle sizes of the powders were 610.3, 401.6, 99.5, and $37.7{\mu}m$. The density of the composite increased from 2.25 to $2.72g/cm^3$ as the graphite size increased from 37.7 to $610.3{\mu}m$. The anisotropy ratio of the composite increased from 1.8 to 490.9 as the graphite size increased. The flexural strength of the composite decreased from 15.60 to 8.94MPa as the graphite size increased. The porosity and the resistivity of the composite showed the same tendencies, and decreased as the graphite size increased. The lowest resistivity and porosity of the composite were $1.99{\times}10^{-3}{\Omega}cm$ and 2.02 %, respectively, when the graphite size was $401.6{\mu}m$. The flexural strength of the composite was 10.3MPa when the graphite size was $401.6{\mu}m$. The lowest resistance to electron mobility was well correlated with the composite with lowest porosity. It was possible the flaky large graphite particles survive after the hot pressing process.

• Carbon letters
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• 제14권1호
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• pp.40-44
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• 2013

The bipolar plate is the most important and most costly component of proton exchange membrane fuel cells. The development of a suitable low density bipolar plate is scientifically and technically challenging due to the need to maintain high electrical conductivity and mechanical properties. Here, bipolar plates were developed from different particle sizes of natural and expanded graphite with phenolic resin as a polymeric matrix. It was observed that the particle size of the reinforcement significantly influences the mechanical and electrical properties of a composite bipolar plate. The composite bipolar plate based on expanded graphite gives the desired mechanical and electrical properties as per the US Department of Energy target, with a bulk density of 1.55 $g.cm^{-3}$ as compared to that of ~1.87 $g.cm^{-3}$ for a composite plate based on natural graphite (NG). Although the bulk density of the expanded-graphite-based composite plate is ~20% less than that of the NG-based plate, the I-V performance of the expanded graphite plate is superior to that of the NG plate as a consequence of the higher conductivity. The expanded graphite plate can thus be used as an electromagnetic interference shielding material.

• Composites Research
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• 제20권2호
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• pp.10-16
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• 2007

본 연구에서는 고분자 전해질 연료전지(PEMFC)용 복합소재 분리판의 제작을 위해, 예비성형과 스탬핑 공정으로 이루어지는 2단계 제조공법을 개발하고 예비성형 조건이 소재의 물성에 미치는 영향을 고찰하였다. 예비성형체는 팽창흑연, 흑연분말, 페놀수지를 이용하여 제조되었으며, 예비성형 공정은 전기 전도도, 굽힘 강도와 미세 구조의 분석을 통해 최적화되었다. 예비성형은 페놀수지의 지나친 경화를 막기 위해 페놀 분말의 녹는점인 $90^{\circ}C$보다 약간 높은 $100^{\circ}C$에서 이루어졌다. 본 연구에서 개발된 예비성형체는 팽창흑연의 서로 잘 얽히는 성질로 인해 0.07-0.28MPa의 낮은 압력에서도 쉽게 제조되었다. 부족하거나 과도한 예비경화는 복합소재 분리판의 강도 저하를 야기하기 때문에, 예비성형체를 안정적으로 제조하기 위한 예비성형 시간은 5분으로 결정되었다.

• 한국전기화학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국전기화학회 2003년도 연료전지심포지움 2003논문집
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• pp.283-288
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• 2003

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• 제30권3호
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• pp.671-674
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• 2009

In this work, high-aspect-ratio graphite nanofibers (GNFs) were used to improve the electrical, thermal, and mechanical properties of the poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) polymer, as well as those of PMMA composites suitable for use in bipolar plates. In the result, an electrical percolation threshold for the composites was formed between 1 and 2 wt% GNF content. This threshold was found to be influenced strongly by the three separate stages of the meltblending process. The composites exhibited higher thermal and mechanical properties and lower thermal shrinkage compared with the neat PMMA. Thus, GNFs were demonstrated to have positive impacts on the thermo-mechanical properties of PMMA composites and showed, thereby, reasonable potential for use in composites employed in the fabrication of bipolar plates.

• 한국재료학회지
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• 제30권10호
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• pp.522-532
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• 2020

Conductive polymer composites with high electrical and mechanical properties are in demand for bipolar plates of phosphoric acid fuel cells (PAFC). In this study, composites based on natural graphite/fluorinated ethylene propylene (FEP) and different ratios of carbon black are mixed and hot formed into bars. The overall content of natural graphite is replaced by carbon black (0.2 wt% to 3.0 wt%). It is found that the addition of carbon black reduces electrical resistivity and density. The density of composite materials added with carbon black 3.0 wt% is 2.168 g/㎤, which is 0.017 g/㎤ less than that of non-additive composites. In-plane electrical resistivity is 7.68 μΩm and through-plane electrical resistivity is 27.66 μΩm. Compared with non-additive composites, in-plane electrical resistivity decreases by 95.7 % and through-plane decreases by 95.9 %. Also, the bending strength is about 30 % improved when carbon black is added at 2.0 wt% compared to non-additive cases. The decrease of electrical resistivity of composites is estimated to stem from the carbon black, which is a conductive material located between melted FEP and acts a path for electrons; the increasing mechanical properties are estimated to result from carbon black filling up pores in the composites.

• 한국신재생에너지학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국신재생에너지학회 2006년도 추계학술대회
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• pp.105-108
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• 2006

The fuel cell is one of the promising environment-friendly energy sources for the next generation. The fuel cell provides good energy efficiency above 40% without pollution or noise. Different fuel cell types are usually distinguished by the kind of electrolyte. Among these, the proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) has advantages of high power density. low operating temperature, relatively quick start-up, and rapid response to varying loads. The bipolar plate is a major component of the PEM fuel cell stack, and it takes a large portion of stack volume, weight and cost. In this study, as alternative materials for bipolar plate of PEM fuel cells, graphite composites were fabricated by compression molding and by machining. Graphite particles mixed with epoxy resin were used as the main substance to provide electric conductivity. Flow channels were fabricated by compression molding with design of experiments (DOE) to evaluate moldability. The cost for compression molding of graphite-composite bipolar plate was compared with machining cost to make the same bipolar plate.