Muti-Filler Composites Reinforced with Multiwalled Carbon Nanotubes and Chopped Carbon Fibers for the Bipolar Plate of Fuel Cells

Huili Wei, Guofeng Chang, Sichuan Xu and Jinling Liu ()
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Huili Wei: College of Automotive Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 201804, China
Guofeng Chang: College of Automotive Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 201804, China
Sichuan Xu: College of Automotive Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 201804, China
Jinling Liu: College of Automotive Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 201804, China

Energies, 2024, vol. 17, issue 7, 1-16

Abstract: To improve the conductivity and flexural strength of bipolar plates for proton-exchange membrane fuel cells, multi-filler-reinforced composites were prepared using graphite, multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs), chopped carbon fibers (CCFs), and phenolic resin (PF). The effects of CCF content (0–6 wt.%) and MWCNT content (0–8 wt.%) on the flexural strength, electrical conductivity, interfacial contact resistance (ICR), density, hydrophobicity, and corrosion behavior of the composites were investigated. Results showed that the addition of a small number of CCFs (≤4 wt.%) effectively improved the flexural strength but slightly reduced the electrical conductivity and increased the ICR of the graphite/PF/CCF composites. Further addition of MWCNTs (≤6 wt.%) significantly improved the electrical conductivity and ICR of the graphite/PF/CCF/MWCNT composites, while maintaining high flexural strength. When the composites were filled with 4 wt.% CCFs and 2 wt.% MWCNTs, their electrical conductivity, flexural strength, ICR under 1.38 MPa, and contact angle were 272.8 S/cm, 43.1 MPa, 1.19 mΩ·cm 2 , and 101.5°, respectively. Compared to unreinforced composites, the electrical conductivity was reduced by 27.2%, the flexural strength was increased by 65.1%, and the composite possessed favorable hydrophobicity as well as corrosion behavior. This work reveals that CCFs and MWCNTs can effectively cooperate to improve composites’ electrical and flexural strength properties.

Keywords: fuel cell; multi-filler composites; carbon fibers; multiwalled carbon nanotubes; electrical conductivity; flexural strength; interfacial contact resistance (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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