CC 2011 Progress Report

Carbon Fibre Composite Plate Analysis

E.S. Kurt.
Silicon Valley, CA

Objectives
  To develop a slurry molded carbon fiber material with a carbon chemical vapor infiltrated sealed surface as a bipolar plate. To . study the morphological and thermal properties of the composites produced using optimum manufacturing conditions via scanning electron microscope (SEM).

Technical Barriers

This project addresses the following technical barrier from the Fuel Cells section of the Hydrogen, Fuel Cells and Infrastructure Technologies Program Multi-Year R,D&D Plan  O. Stack Material and Manufacturing Cost

Approach
   Fabricate fibrous component pre-forms for the bipolar plate by slurry molding techniques using carbon fibers of appropriate lengths. Fabricate hermetic plates using a final seal with chemical vapor infiltrated carbon. Develop commercial-scale components for evaluation.

Accomplishments
    In coordination with licensee, have reduced thickness of plates from 2.5 mm to 1.5 mm. Determined influence of chemical vapor infiltration (CVI) temperature on depth of infiltration. Further characterized and measured mechanical properties of carbon composite plate material. Determined electronic properties, including effect of surface roughness on resistance. Developed initial model of chemical vapor infiltration process that is scalable to production. The model was utilized to improve the flow pattern of gas used to deposit carbon on the plate.

Future Directions
  Support continued scale-up of the licensee's operation through modeling of fabrication processes. Optimize mechanical properties through combination of pre-form material and CVI conditions.

CC 2011 Progress Report

infiltration (Figure 1). This is in contrast to the Approach The strength and fracture toughness of the Introduction

original ORNL pre-form material that consists bipolar plate material were evaluated using the The entirely of fiber and carbonized phenolic, and has At Porvair Fuel Cell Technology, results of the tensile challenges for PEMFC technology for variable hole tensile test. The pre-forms were automobiles lie in reducing the cost and weight of the Thus, more than twice the uninfiltrated void volume. produced that were reduced fromthat the material is relatively curves (Figure 2) reveal 2.5 mm in fuel stack, an infiltration, especially is the cost temperatures thickness to 1.5 mm through anstrengths indicated by the after impediment to which at higher and notch insensitive. The increased weight of the bipolar plate. The bipolar plate is and sealed the concentration of particulate material in the pre-form MPa. where the ORNL material is overcoated zero intercepts (Figure 2) range from 25 to 28 electrode plate that separates individual cells in ahas a large resulted in a higher green density (density before that relatively rapidly, the ORNL component Measurements of contact this higher stack. Adensity gradient,when multiple cells are Porvair prestack is formed whereas the infiltrated infiltration with carbon). The effect of resistance show a weak dependence on surface roughness. Table 1 shows the aligned one after another so as to work in series, with green density on infiltration was investigated through form has a high-density outer coating and fairly results where ORNL polished samples indicate a the bipolar plate internal density. Lower for the cells and intercomparisons withonly thematerial, which did not providing an electrode temperature uniform measurably lower contact resistance, Void on either side. infiltration times do notfor the bipolar contain particulates and was of lower density.with the longer The reference material modify this behavior plate is high-density graphite with machined flow as a function of uninfiltrated material which for the Porvair material, but do result in higher volume exception of thethrough-thickness position had fewer interfaces that could contribute to channels. Both material and machiningplates.for infiltrated determined by digital analysis of images of ohmic was density, more uniform ORNL costs All graphite, however,hermetic. polishedlosses. High bulkThe effect of processing cross-sections. conductivity is also indicated. plates are are prohibitive for many fuel cell applications, and this has led to substantial conditions (CVI temperature) on density gradients The computational fluid dynamics development efforts to replace graphite. The through the plates were similarly investigated. modeling revealed flow patterns within the CVI reactor. This The samples will be studied under scanning electron requirements for a bipolar plate are stringent, included differences in System above Microscope /Energy Dispersivethe flow (EDS) and below the including low-cost materials and processing, light bipolar frictional information was used to determine theplate. Thisproperties and surface to modify weight, thin (<3mm), sufficient mechanical integrity, the inlet geometry so that the flow was significantly texture of composite. high surface and bulk electronic conductivity, low more uniform, and therefore deposition rates on the . permeability (boundary between fuel and oxidant), top and bottom of the plates were more uniform. and high corrosion resistance (in the moist Figure 3 illustrates the effect of improving the flow atmosphere of the cell). geometry. The bipolar plate approach developed at Oak Conclusions Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) uses a low-cost, The electrical properties as a function of surface slurry-molding process to produce a carbon-fiber Plate Increasing the particulate content the pre-form. Figure 1. SEM carbon-fiber component Bipolarroughness may be an issue in fuel cell stacks.ofThis pre-form The molded, Fracture Surface of a Sealed Produced with Porvair Pre-Form Materialwas investigated by reduction in bipolarwith differing more allows a producing samples plate thickness, could have an inherent volume for diffusing fuel or Showing the Particulate Filled Interior and uniform due to and easier/more rapid sealing via air to the electrolytethe CVI Carbon Coatingflow-field surface or impressed on the Surface surface roughnessesdensity,different CVI temperatures, and by also evaluating polished and CVI. channels. The bipolar plate is made hermetic uninfiltrated samples. Two-point and four-point through chemical vapor infiltration (CVI) with Mechanical property measurements indicate the measurements were obtained which provide contact carbon. The infiltrated carbon also serves to make bipolar conductivity, respectively. resistance and bulkplate material is notch-insensitive, and the component highly conductive. therefore relatively tough, and has good strength. In order to allow efficient scale-up of the CVI The work during FY 2003 included efforts to Electrical measurements indicate low contact process, a computational fluid dynamics model of the reduce the thickness of the bipolar plate. Other resistance chemical kinetic information, process, coupled withand high bulk conductivity, with a weak research focused on determining the properties of dependence on surface roughness. was developed. This used the existing CVI system bipolar plates prepared from pre-form material geometry and conditions at ORNL. supplied by Porvair Fuel Cell Technology (the licensee) as well as ORNL, as a function of Results processing. This includes strength and fracture toughness, the depth of penetration of infiltrated Porvair has successfully reduced the thickness of carbon, and the effect of surface roughness on the bipolar plates through a high particulate content conductivity/resistivity. Also developed during this giving high green strength (strength before period was a first-order model of the CVI process infiltration with carbon). Determination of the based on the ORNL CVI system. These efforts were through-thickness density gradient of the infiltrated Gases Figure 2. and in support Strength Versus Figure 3. Computed Flow Pattern of Reactive in cooperation withPlot of Measured of the work at the Ratio of Hole Size to Sample Width IllustratingPorvair material reveals that little carbon isin the ORNL CVI Around a Bipolar Plate deposited Porvair to scale up and commercialize the within the material and that the overcoating and Ultimate Strength and Notch-Insenstivity Reactor technology. sealing of the surface happens early during

CC 2011 Progress Report Table 1. Two- and Four-Point Probe Electrical Measurements
Infiltration Treatment 4 hours at 1500C 24 hours at 1350C Uninfiltrated 4 hours at 1500C 24 hours at 1350C 24 hours at 1350C Sourface Roughness Rz m 8.83 12.9 13.5 10.2 14.3 2.9 Resistance 2 Probe DC ohms 1.86 1.37 0.86 2.16 1.57 0.84 Conductivity 4 Probe V/I

S/cm
365 417 369 386 383 408

Computational fluid dynamics applied to the CVI process at ORNL indicated means for increasing plate infiltration uniformity.