Expanded graphite-based electrically conductive composites as bipolar plate for PEM fuel cell

In this study, expanded graphite-based composite bipolar plates are developed from expanded graphite (EG), which is synthesized by chemical intercalation of natural graphite and rapid expansion at high temperature. The expanded graphite synthesized in this study has an expansion ratio between 75-100 cc/gm. The composite bipolar plate with varying weight percentage of EG gives different bulk density, electrical conductivity, mechanical properties and air tightness. The critical weight percentage of filler content is 50 to achieve the desired electrical conductivity and mechanical properties of bipolar plate as per U.S. DOE targets. The composite bipolar plate with 50 wt% of EG gives bulk density of 1.50 g/cm(3), electrical conductivity >120 S/cm, bending strength 54 MPa, modulus 6 GPa and shore hardness 50. I-V characteristic of a cell assembly with EG-based composite plates are similar with the performance of a cell with commercial composite plates. These lightweight bipolar plates reduced the volume and weight of ultimate fuel cell stack and helped in improving the fuel cell performance. (C) 2008 International Association for Hydrogen Energy. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.