Category: Transient Plane Source
Author(s): Min-Chien Hsiao
Keywords: aluminum, bipolar plate, bipolar plates, carbon nanotubes, cnts, copper, current, density, electrical conductivity, fuel cell, fuel cells, graphite, hybrid, in plane, metal mesh, modified multi-walled carbon nanotubes, modified multi-walled carbon nanotubes (mwcnts), mwcnts, polarization curves, polymer composites, powder, power, proton exchange, thermal conductivity, transport propereties
Abstract: A novel technique was used in this research article, to introduce a hybrid mesh to a polymer composite within bipolar plates, for proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs). The mesh added was copper or aluminum based, to allow for an increased thermal conductivity of the PEMFCs. Experimental testing confirms this theory, as the copper-meshed hybrid polymer composite showed a thermal conductivity of 30.0 W/mK, while the aluminum-meshed hybrid polymer composite showed a thermal conductivity of 30.4 W/mK, as compared to the neat polymer composite, with a thermal conductivity of 27.2 W/mK. These results, along with other findings, suggest the metal mesh hybrid polymer composite bipolar plates have the possibility of being effective in a PEMFC application.
Reference: Journal of Power Sources, 2, (2010) pp. 509-515
DOI: 10.1016/j.jpowsour.2009.06.065