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GB2468029A - Hydrophilic conductive resin - Google Patents

Hydrophilic conductive resin Download PDF

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Publication number
GB2468029A
GB2468029A GB1002664A GB201002664A GB2468029A GB 2468029 A GB2468029 A GB 2468029A GB 1002664 A GB1002664 A GB 1002664A GB 201002664 A GB201002664 A GB 201002664A GB 2468029 A GB2468029 A GB 2468029A
Authority
GB
United Kingdom
Prior art keywords
composition according
hydrophilic
conductive resin
conductive
composition
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Withdrawn
Application number
GB1002664A
Other versions
GB201002664D0 (en
Inventor
Kris Hyde
Donald James Highgate
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
ITM Power Ltd
Original Assignee
ITM Power Ltd
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by ITM Power Ltd filed Critical ITM Power Ltd
Publication of GB201002664D0 publication Critical patent/GB201002664D0/en
Publication of GB2468029A publication Critical patent/GB2468029A/en
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • HELECTRICITY
    • H01ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01MPROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY
    • H01M8/00Fuel cells; Manufacture thereof
    • H01M8/02Details
    • H01M8/0202Collectors; Separators, e.g. bipolar separators; Interconnectors
    • H01M8/0204Non-porous and characterised by the material
    • H01M8/0221Organic resins; Organic polymers
    • CCHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C08ORGANIC MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS; THEIR PREPARATION OR CHEMICAL WORKING-UP; COMPOSITIONS BASED THEREON
    • C08LCOMPOSITIONS OF MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS
    • C08L33/00Compositions of homopolymers or copolymers of compounds having one or more unsaturated aliphatic radicals, each having only one carbon-to-carbon double bond, and only one being terminated by only one carboxyl radical, or of salts, anhydrides, esters, amides, imides or nitriles thereof; Compositions of derivatives of such polymers
    • C08L33/04Homopolymers or copolymers of esters
    • C08L33/06Homopolymers or copolymers of esters of esters containing only carbon, hydrogen and oxygen, which oxygen atoms are present only as part of the carboxyl radical
    • C08L33/10Homopolymers or copolymers of methacrylic acid esters
    • CCHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C08ORGANIC MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS; THEIR PREPARATION OR CHEMICAL WORKING-UP; COMPOSITIONS BASED THEREON
    • C08LCOMPOSITIONS OF MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS
    • C08L101/00Compositions of unspecified macromolecular compounds
    • CCHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C08ORGANIC MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS; THEIR PREPARATION OR CHEMICAL WORKING-UP; COMPOSITIONS BASED THEREON
    • C08LCOMPOSITIONS OF MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS
    • C08L101/00Compositions of unspecified macromolecular compounds
    • C08L101/12Compositions of unspecified macromolecular compounds characterised by physical features, e.g. anisotropy, viscosity or electrical conductivity
    • HELECTRICITY
    • H01ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01BCABLES; CONDUCTORS; INSULATORS; SELECTION OF MATERIALS FOR THEIR CONDUCTIVE, INSULATING OR DIELECTRIC PROPERTIES
    • H01B1/00Conductors or conductive bodies characterised by the conductive materials; Selection of materials as conductors
    • H01B1/20Conductive material dispersed in non-conductive organic material
    • HELECTRICITY
    • H01ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01BCABLES; CONDUCTORS; INSULATORS; SELECTION OF MATERIALS FOR THEIR CONDUCTIVE, INSULATING OR DIELECTRIC PROPERTIES
    • H01B1/00Conductors or conductive bodies characterised by the conductive materials; Selection of materials as conductors
    • H01B1/20Conductive material dispersed in non-conductive organic material
    • H01B1/24Conductive material dispersed in non-conductive organic material the conductive material comprising carbon-silicon compounds, carbon or silicon
    • HELECTRICITY
    • H01ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01MPROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY
    • H01M4/00Electrodes
    • H01M4/86Inert electrodes with catalytic activity, e.g. for fuel cells
    • H01M4/8605Porous electrodes
    • H01M4/8626Porous electrodes characterised by the form
    • H01M4/8631Bipolar electrodes
    • HELECTRICITY
    • H01ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01MPROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY
    • H01M8/00Fuel cells; Manufacture thereof
    • H01M8/02Details
    • H01M8/0202Collectors; Separators, e.g. bipolar separators; Interconnectors
    • H01M8/0204Non-porous and characterised by the material
    • H01M8/0213Gas-impermeable carbon-containing materials
    • HELECTRICITY
    • H01ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01MPROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY
    • H01M8/00Fuel cells; Manufacture thereof
    • H01M8/02Details
    • H01M8/0202Collectors; Separators, e.g. bipolar separators; Interconnectors
    • H01M8/0204Non-porous and characterised by the material
    • H01M8/0223Composites
    • H01M8/0226Composites in the form of mixtures
    • HELECTRICITY
    • H01ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01MPROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY
    • H01M8/00Fuel cells; Manufacture thereof
    • H01M8/10Fuel cells with solid electrolytes
    • H01M8/1016Fuel cells with solid electrolytes characterised by the electrolyte material
    • H01M8/1018Polymeric electrolyte materials
    • HELECTRICITY
    • H01ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01MPROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY
    • H01M8/00Fuel cells; Manufacture thereof
    • H01M8/10Fuel cells with solid electrolytes
    • H01M2008/1095Fuel cells with polymeric electrolytes
    • HELECTRICITY
    • H01ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01MPROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY
    • H01M8/00Fuel cells; Manufacture thereof
    • H01M8/10Fuel cells with solid electrolytes
    • H01M8/1009Fuel cells with solid electrolytes with one of the reactants being liquid, solid or liquid-charged
    • H01M8/1011Direct alcohol fuel cells [DAFC], e.g. direct methanol fuel cells [DMFC]
    • YGENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y02TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
    • Y02EREDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION
    • Y02E60/00Enabling technologies; Technologies with a potential or indirect contribution to GHG emissions mitigation
    • Y02E60/30Hydrogen technology
    • Y02E60/50Fuel cells

Landscapes

  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Chemical Kinetics & Catalysis (AREA)
  • General Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Electrochemistry (AREA)
  • Sustainable Energy (AREA)
  • Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
  • Sustainable Development (AREA)
  • Manufacturing & Machinery (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Spectroscopy & Molecular Physics (AREA)
  • Dispersion Chemistry (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • Medicinal Chemistry (AREA)
  • Polymers & Plastics (AREA)
  • Organic Chemistry (AREA)
  • Composite Materials (AREA)
  • Fuel Cell (AREA)

Abstract

A composition comprises an electrically-conductive resin and a hydrophilic material. Compositions of the invention are useful as end plates in electrochemical cells and in seals. The hydrophilic component is preferably hydroxymethyl methacrylate and the conductive resin contains graphite.

Description

Hydrophilic Conductive Resin
Field of the Invention:
This invention relates to improvements in electrically-conductive resins.
Back round of the Invention Resins can be inherently conductive, or non-conductive materials can be made conductive by mixing with electronically conductive materials such as graphite, metal powders, plasticisers and reinforcers. Conductive resins are well known, and have many applications.
An electrically-conductive resin can be made in thin sheets, extruded into solid blocks or moulded into any other shape. With appropriate resin or resin and filler selection, materials can be made which are chemically inert and do not corrode.
Typical conductivities of such commercially available materials are in the region of 2 x iü S/m to 10 x S/rn.
Conductive resins are of particular interest in carbon composite bipolar plates for polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) and direct methanol (DM) fuel cells. The bipolar plates account for up to 30% of the cost of a PEM fuel cell stack. End plates interconnect individual cells and provide connections to the outside world. Bipolar plates have to conduct electricity, keep the reaction gases separated and channel away water and heat from the reaction. Water control is very important in PEM and DM cells. However, the conductivity must not be compromised. Also, water control often requires significant balance of plant.
Early plates were made from graphite, which performs the function well but, as it is a machine component, it is expensive for significant scale-up. Metal plates have also been used, but these have to be passivated to avoid corrosion issues and the poisoning of the fuel cell catalyst. This passivation processes adds significant costs to the metal plates. However, the use of conductive resins or non-conductive resins that are made conductive via the use of a filler allows the industry to focus on mouldable carbon composite plates.
Summary of the Invention
The invention is based on the finding that hydrophilic materials can be added to conductive resins to give advantageous properties, such as the ability to control conductivity and water-permeability. This is beneficial in many applications.
According to a first aspect, the present invention is a composition comprising an electrically-conductive resin and a hydrophilic material.
According to a second aspect, the invention is a conductive end-plate for an electrochemical cell, comprising a composition as defined above.
According to a third aspect, the invention is an electrochemical cell comprising an end-plate as defined above.
According to a fourth aspect, the invention is a seal comprising a composition as defined above.
Description of preferred embodiments
The hydrophilic material preferably comprises a hydrophilic polymer. The hydrophilic material is preferably in the form of granules or fibres. More preferably, it is in the form of fibres. The fibres may be polymer fibres. These are added to a conductive resin or resin/filler materials. The fibres may be incorporated randomly but they are preferably directed to allow hydrophilic channels in an otherwise non-hydrophilic material, i.e. the conductive resin or resin/filler materials. Directed fibres may be positioned throughout the material or in specific locations. They may be directed horizontally or vertically or a combination of both. Such materials are useful in a number of applications, which are well known to the skilled person.
The hydrophilic material can be a hydrophilic polymer. Preferably the polymer is cross-linked. Examples of suitable polymers are those formed from acrylonitrile-vinyl pyrrolidone (AN-VP), hyd roxyethyl methacrylate (H EMA) or methyl methacrylate (MMA).
In a preferred embodiment, a composition of the invention is useful in an electrochemical cell such as a fuel cell. Preferably, the composition is used in cells where hydration control is important. This may enable a significant reduction in balance of plant. The use of hydrophilic conductive cell plates (monopolar or bipolar) may enable the manifolding to hydrate or dry zones, as appropriate. In fuel cell manifolding, it could allow hydration control by hydrating gases in dry areas (typically inlets of un-hydrated gases) or remove water in areas which may be prone to flooding.
A composition according to the invention, or an end-plate according to the invention may be used to control hydration and/or conductivity, e.g. of a fuel cell or electrolyser, or expansion properties. A composition of the invention may be used to control expansion properties, e.g. in a seal, preferably in an anti-static seal.
Preferably complete plates are made using a composition of the invention. Alternatively, a composition of the invention could be used to form hydrophilic plate inserts designed to fit inside a more conventional moulded (or machined) plate.
Additional benefits arise due to the fact that hydrophilic materials may be softer than conventional end-plate materials, and deform slightly (i.e. they are mouldable) when pressed against the membrane, reducing the likelihood of damage to thin membrane materials from any edges in the cell or flow fields.
Other applications which would benefit from hydrophilic conductive properties are antistatic seals. The hydrophilic nature of the material may allow a seal to expand and become tight in situ, whist its ability to retain its conductive nature despite expansion, would mean its antistatic properties are retained.
The invention is illustrated by the following Example.
Example
An electrically-conductive hydrophilic material was made by the following method.
Material 1: 5 grams of hydroxyethyl methacrylate was added to 5 grams of divinylbenzene. 22 grams of dichloromethane was then added with 0.2 g of a thermal initiator (azoisobutyronitrile). This was stirred with the monomer mixture until it had gone into solution after which 23.3 grams of graphite powder was added and mixed using a spatula. The mixture was covered in parafilm and the solvent allowed to evaporate off overnight. The dry powder was then placed into a bag and heat sealed into position. The filled bag was placed into a jig with the top plate torque down to 4 Nm and placed in the 70°C oven overnight.
The material as made (zero water content) had a conductivity of 1.6 x 1 ü S/rn.
After hydrating in water at 60°C for 4 hours, the water content was approximately 1.5% and the conductivity was 1.29 x 1 ü S/rn.

Claims (15)

  1. CLAIMS1. A composition comprising an electrically-conductive resin and a hydrophilic material.
  2. 2. A composition according to claim 1, wherein the hydrophilic material comprises a hydrophilic polymer.
  3. 3. A composition according to claim 2, wherein the polymer is cross-linked.
  4. 4. A composition according to claim 1, wherein the hydrophilic material is in the form of granules.
  5. 5. A composition according to any of claims 1 to 3, wherein the hydrophilic material is in the form of fibres.
  6. 6. A composition according to claim 5, wherein the fibres are incorporated into the electrically-conductive resin, such that they form one or more channels for a liquid.
  7. 7. A composition according to any preceding claim, wherein the electrically-conductive resin comprises a carbon composite or graphite.
  8. 8. A conductive end-plate for an electrochemical cell, comprising a composition according to any preceding claim.
  9. 9. An electrochemical cell comprising an end-plate according to claim 8.
  10. 10. An electrochemical cell according to claim 9, which is an electrolyser or a fuel cell.
  11. 11. A seal comprising a composition according to any of claims I to 7.
  12. 12. Use of a composition according to any of claims 1 to 7, to control the expansion properties of a device.
  13. 13. Use according to claim 12, wherein the device is a seal.
  14. 14. Use of a composition or end-plate according to any of claims 1 to 8 to control the hydration and/or conductivity of a device.
  15. 15. Use according to claim 14, wherein the device is an electrochemical cell.
GB1002664A 2009-02-17 2010-02-17 Hydrophilic conductive resin Withdrawn GB2468029A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GBGB0902580.0A GB0902580D0 (en) 2009-02-17 2009-02-17 Hydrophillic conductive resin

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
GB201002664D0 GB201002664D0 (en) 2010-04-07
GB2468029A true GB2468029A (en) 2010-08-25

Family

ID=40548281

Family Applications (2)

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GBGB0902580.0A Ceased GB0902580D0 (en) 2009-02-17 2009-02-17 Hydrophillic conductive resin
GB1002664A Withdrawn GB2468029A (en) 2009-02-17 2010-02-17 Hydrophilic conductive resin

Family Applications Before (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
GBGB0902580.0A Ceased GB0902580D0 (en) 2009-02-17 2009-02-17 Hydrophillic conductive resin

Country Status (1)

Country Link
GB (2) GB0902580D0 (en)

Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US20050036020A1 (en) * 2003-08-15 2005-02-17 Huawen Li Electrochemical sensor ink compositions, electrodes, and uses thereof
WO2006016670A1 (en) * 2004-08-09 2006-02-16 Showa Denko K.K. Antistatic agent, antistatic film and product coated with antistatic film
US20060263670A1 (en) * 2005-05-23 2006-11-23 Nisshinbo Industries, Inc. Fuel cell bipolar plate
US20070099090A1 (en) * 2005-10-27 2007-05-03 Jae Seung Oh Secondary battery comprising eutectic mixture and preparation method thereof
WO2008075812A1 (en) * 2006-12-20 2008-06-26 Cheil Industries Inc. Hydrophilic carbon black aggregate, its preparation process, hydrophilic composite material and bipolarplate for fuel cell comprising it

Patent Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US20050036020A1 (en) * 2003-08-15 2005-02-17 Huawen Li Electrochemical sensor ink compositions, electrodes, and uses thereof
WO2006016670A1 (en) * 2004-08-09 2006-02-16 Showa Denko K.K. Antistatic agent, antistatic film and product coated with antistatic film
US20060263670A1 (en) * 2005-05-23 2006-11-23 Nisshinbo Industries, Inc. Fuel cell bipolar plate
US20070099090A1 (en) * 2005-10-27 2007-05-03 Jae Seung Oh Secondary battery comprising eutectic mixture and preparation method thereof
WO2008075812A1 (en) * 2006-12-20 2008-06-26 Cheil Industries Inc. Hydrophilic carbon black aggregate, its preparation process, hydrophilic composite material and bipolarplate for fuel cell comprising it

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
GB201002664D0 (en) 2010-04-07
GB0902580D0 (en) 2009-04-01

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