Resin composition

• US 6,500,893 B2
• Filed: 02/16/2000
• Issued: 12/31/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 02/16/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Nichia Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nichia Corporation
• Inventors: Yamada, Hitoshi, Nishimoto, Kazuo, Morimoto, Kazuki, Kusuno, Katsuya, Wada, Shuichiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Cain, Edward J.
• Application Number:
  US09/505,369
• Publication Number:
  US 20020107318A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,049 Days
• Field of Search: 524/495, 524/496
• US Class Current: 524/495
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 14/022 Carbon
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 14/386 Carbon carbon nanotubes C04B14/026
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 14/42 Glass
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2111/00853 in electrochemical cells or batteries, e.g. fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 24/281 Polyepoxides
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 26/10 obtained otherwise than by reactions only involving carbon-to-carbon unsaturated bonds
• CPC Class Codes: C08K 3/04 Carbon
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 63/00 Compositions of epoxy resins; Compositions of derivatives of epoxy resins
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 79/08 Polyimides; Polyester-imides; Polyamide-imides; Polyamide acids or similar polyimide precursors
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 79/085 Unsaturated polyimide precursors
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/0213 Gas-impermeable carbon-containing materials
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/50 Fuel cells

Abstract

The present invention provides a resin composition which can contain a large amount of a filler, has excellent moldability, can provide a molded product having both high electrical conductivity and mechanical strength, and is especially useful for a fuel cell separator and a sealing material. The resin composition comprises A) 100 parts by weight of a resin composed of 0 to 99 parts by weight of an epoxy resin and 1 to 100 parts by weight of a polyimide resin, with the proviso that the total amount of the epoxy resin and the polyimide resin is 100 parts by weight, and B) 40 to 900 parts by weight of at least one filler selected from the group consisting of graphite, ketjen black, acetylene black, furnace carbon black and thermal carbon black.

Claims

1. A fuel cell separator, which comprises a resin composition consisting essentially of (A) 100 parts by weight of a resin composed of 5 to 99 parts by weight of an epoxy resin and 95 to 1 part by weight of a polyimide resin, wherein the resin component provides a bending strength in excess of that provided by the polyimide resin or the epoxy resin used individually, with the proviso that the total amount of the epoxy resin and the polyimide resin is 100 parts by weight, and (B) 40 to 900 parts by weight of at least one filler selected from the group consisting of graphite, kektjen black, acetylene black, furnace carbon black and thermal carbon black.

2. A fuel cell separator, which comprises a resin composition consisting essentially of (A) 100 parts by weight of a resin composed of 5 to 99 parts by weight of an epoxy resin and 95 to 1 part by weight of a polyimide resin, wherein the resin component provides a bending strength in excess of that provided by the polyimide resin or the epoxy resin used individually, with the proviso that the total amount of the epoxy resin and the polyimide resin is 100 parts by weight, and (B) 40 to 900 parts by weight, sufficient to produce a bulk resistivity of not more than 50 Ω

-cm, of at least one filler selected from the group consisting of graphite, kektjen black, acetylene black, furnace carbon black and thermal carbon black.

3. A fuel cell separator, according to claim 2, wherein the filler is present in an amount sufficient to produce a bulk resistivity of not more than 3 m Ω

-cm.