FUEL CELL SEPARATOR

• US 20180219231A1
• Filed: 08/06/2015
• Published: 08/02/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/08/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nisshinbo Chemical Inc. (Nisshinbo Holdings Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Nisshinbo Chemical Inc. (Nisshinbo Holdings Incorporated)
• Inventors: Tanno, Fumio
• Granted Patent: US 10,396,367 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: C08G 59/5073 having two nitrogen atoms in the ring
• CPC Class Codes: C08G 59/621 Phenols
• CPC Class Codes: C08K 3/04 Carbon
• CPC Class Codes: C08K 3/042 Graphene or derivatives, e.g. graphene oxides
• CPC Class Codes: C08K 5/3462 Six-membered rings
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 63/04 Epoxynovolacs
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2008/1095 Fuel cells with polymeric electrolytes
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/0221 Organic resins; Organic polymers
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/0226 in the form of mixtures
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/0234 Carbonaceous material
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/0239 Organic resins; Organic polymers
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/0243 in the form of mixtures
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/50 Fuel cells

Abstract

Provided is a fuel cell separator obtained by molding a composition that contains an epoxy resin and a graphite powder, wherein: the epoxy resin contains a main resin, a curing agent, and a curing accelerator; the main resin contains a biphenyl novolak-type epoxy resin having an ICI viscosity of 0.03-0.12 Pa·s at 150° C.; and the curing agent is a novolak-type phenol resin having a weight-average molecular weight of 420-1,500 and a dispersion degree of 2.0 or less.

Claims

1. A fuel cell separator obtained by molding a composition comprising an epoxy resin and graphite powder, which separator is characterized in that

the epoxy resin includes a base resin, a curing agent and a curing accelerator;

the base resin includes a biphenyl novolak-type epoxy resin having an ICI viscosity at 150°

C. of from 0.03 to 0.12 Pa·

s; and

the curing agent is a novolak-type phenolic resin having a weight-average molecular weight of from 420 to 1,500 and a dispersity of 2.0 or less.

2. The fuel cell separator of claim 1, wherein the proportion of biphenyl novolak-type epoxy resin in the base resin of the epoxy resin is at least 50 wt %.

3. The fuel cell separator of claim 1, wherein the curing accelerator consists solely of an imidazole compound of formula (2) below

4. The fuel cell separator of claim 1, wherein the graphite powder is a synthetic graphite powder.

5. The fuel cell separator of claim 2, wherein the curing accelerator consists solely of an imidazole compound of formula (2) below

6. The fuel cell separator of claim 2, wherein the graphite powder is a synthetic graphite powder.

7. The fuel cell separator of claim 3, wherein the graphite powder is a synthetic graphite powder.