US 11,811,102 B2
Material compositions and methods for porous graphite-polymer composite bipolar plates
Sitaraman Krishnan, Potsdam, NY (US); Michael Harrington, South Windsor, CT (US); Aswin Prathap Pitchiya, Gloucester, MA (US); Zackary Putnam, Malta, NY (US); and Daniel Orlowski, South Windsor, CT (US)
Assigned to Clarkson University, Potsdam, NY (US)
Filed by Clarkson University, Potsdam, NY (US)
Filed on Sep. 3, 2019, as Appl. No. 16/558,857.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/726,245, filed on Sep. 1, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2020/0106111 A1, Apr. 2, 2020
Int. Cl. H01M 8/0243 (2016.01); H01M 8/0234 (2016.01); H01M 8/0239 (2016.01); H01M 4/62 (2006.01); H01M 4/80 (2006.01)
CPC H01M 8/0243 (2013.01) [H01M 4/622 (2013.01); H01M 4/80 (2013.01); H01M 8/0234 (2013.01); H01M 8/0239 (2013.01)] 8 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of preparing a porous fuel cell bipolar plate article, the method comprising:
blending an amount of conductive carbon particles, a polymeric binder, and a porogen to form a paste;
molding the paste into shape by heating the mold to obtain a plate precursor; and
removing the porogen from the plate precursor to obtain the porous fuel cell bipolar plate article;
wherein the porous fuel cell bipolar plate article is characterized by a bubble pressure higher than 15 psi, a wick-fill mass gain between 10 wt % to 60 wt %, a vacuum-fill mass gain between 10 wt % to 70 wt %, an electrical conductivity higher than 100 S/cm, and a flexural strength higher than 25 MPa;
wherein the amount of conductive carbon particles comprises 75 to 90 wt %, the polymeric binder comprises 10 to 20 wt %, and the porogen comprises up to 15 wt % and is selected from the group consisting of sucrose, salt, and poly(ethylene glycol).