Differences in physico-mechanical behaviors of resol(e) and novolac type phenolic resin based composite bipolar plate for proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cell

Composite bipolar plates for Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell (PEMFC) are prepared by compression molding technique using polymer as binder and graphite as electric filler material with some other reinforcements. Study on the effect of resole and novolac type phenolic resin on the properties of composite bipolar plate, such as bulk density, porosity, bulk conductivity, hardness, flexural strength, etc. shows that both of the resin shows different physico-mechanical properties. Moreover, single cell performance analysis also shows variation for resole and novolac based composites. A novel concept of triple continuous structure to provide graphite polymer blends with high electrical conductivity, high shore hardness, high flexural strength, less porosity and low density has been proposed and study on the effect of different types of phenolic resin on the properties and performance of bipolar plate reveals that novolac type powdered phenolic resin gives better mechanical properties than resole type phenolic resin. However, resole type phenolic resin compound has slightly higher electrical conductivity due to more number of polar –OH group presents on its cured form. But due to the less porosity and higher mechanical strength, bipolar plates with novolac type phenolic resin gives better performance in I–V analysis than bipolar plates with resole type phenolic resin.