ELECTRORHEOLOGICAL DESIGN AND MANUFACTURING METHOD FOR PROTON TRANSPORT MEMBRANES AND BIPOLAR PLATES

摘要

Proton transport membranes and bipolar plates for use in fuel cell stacks are generally discussed herein with particular discussions extended to proton transport membranes and bipolar plates made from electrorheological (ER) fluids. By combining electrically polarizable aggregates, such as carbon particles, with a phase changing medium to form an electroset composition and exposing the same to an electric field, the composition behave as an ER fluid and the polarizable aggregates form long chains in the direction of the field gradient. The composition is permanently cured in this condition and resultant product may be used as membranes, if catalysts are added, or bipolar plates in a fuel cell stack.