Schematic drawing of the PEMFC Overview

LIST OF FIGURES FIGURES TITLE PAGES

2.1 Schematic drawing of the PEMFC

6 2.2 Dependence of electrical conductivity on filler volume fraction 12 2.3 Filler loading 17 2.4 Particle size gradation 18 2.5 Schematic drawing of the electrical conductivity measurement 23 2.6 Three-point loading flexural strength 24 3.1 Process of the research 27 3.2 Carbon black and Graphite 30 3.3 Hardener and resin 31 3.4 Ball mill machine 31 3.5 High speed mixer 32 3.6 Hot compressing mold 34 FIGURES TITLE PAGES 3.7 Hot compression molding machine 34 3.8 Bipolar plate 35 3.9 Jandel Multi Height Four Point Probe 36 3.10 Electronic Densimeter 37 3.11 Shore Hardness tester 38 3.12 Instron machine 39 4.1 Graph of conductivity against percentage of carbon black 42 4.2 Graph of flexural stress against percentage of carbon black 43 4.3 Graph of density against percentage of carbon black 44 4.4 Graph of hardness against percentage of carbon black 45 CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION

1.1 Overview

Fuel cells are being examined by many researchers as a new power source to solve the exhaustion of fossil fuel and global warming. Among the fuel cell systems available, the Proton exchange membrane fuel cell PEMFC is expected to replace the internal combustion engine in transportation applications due to its fast start-up and response time, low operating temperature and high power density. In PEM fuel cell systems, bipolar plate are one of the major parts that have function with an electrical connection between the electrodes, separation of reactant gases and a pathway for residual water in the cell stack. The main process involved in PEM fuel cell is as stated below. i. Pure hydrogen is passed through the flow plates in the anode negative on one side of the fuel cell, and oxygen from the air passed through to the cathode positive on the other side of the fuel cell. ii. The anode is coated with a platinum catalyst which enables the hydrogen to split into positive hydrogen ions protons and negatively charged electron. iii. The PEM allows only the protons to pass through the cathode. The electrons must then travel along an external circuit to the cathode producing an electrical current. iv. At the cathode, the electrons and protons from the hydrogen combine with the oxygen to form water. The water then leaves the cell. This is a continuous process so long as hydrogen and oxygen is supplied. But, the main concern in this research is the bipolar plate itself. Bipolar plate acts as the backbone of a hydrogen fuel cell power stack. To commercialize fuel cell, bipolar plate needs to be fabricated in mass production and made of material with excellent flexural strength, better electrical conductivity and low in mass density.

1.2 Objectives