Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers B (대한기계학회논문집B)

The Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers (대한기계학회)
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Study of Air-Breathing Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cell Using Metal-Coated Polycarbonate as a Material for Bipolar Plates

도금된 폴리카보네이트 분리판을 이용한 공기 호흡형 고분자 전해질막 연료전지에 관한 연구

  • Park, Taehyun (School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Seoul Nat'l Univ.) ;
  • Lee, Yoon Ho (School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Seoul Nat'l Univ.) ;
  • Chang, Ikwhang (Department of Intelligent Convergence Systems, Seoul Nat'l Univ.) ;
  • Ji, Sanghoon (Department of Intelligent Convergence Systems, Seoul Nat'l Univ.) ;
  • Paek, Jun Yeol (School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Seoul Nat'l Univ.) ;
  • Cha, Suk Won (School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Seoul Nat'l Univ.)
  • 박태현 (서울대학교 기계항공공학부) ;
  • 이윤호 (서울대학교 기계항공공학부) ;
  • 장익황 (서울대학교 지능형융합시스템학과) ;
  • 지상훈 (서울대학교 지능형융합시스템학과) ;
  • 백준열 (서울대학교 기계항공공학부) ;
  • 차석원 (서울대학교 기계항공공학부)
  • Received : 2012.07.02
  • Accepted : 2012.10.22
  • Published : 2013.02.01
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Abstract

In this study, a metal-plated polycarbonate was adopted as a material for bipolar plates in a polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell (PEMFC). The coated layers included 40-${\mu}m$-thick copper, 10-${\mu}m$-thick nickel, and 0.3-${\mu}m$-thick gold that respectively played the roles of current conduction, adhesion between copper and gold, and minimization of surface corrosion. The maximum power of the air-breathing PEMFC with polycarbonate bipolar plates was $120mW/cm^2$, which was similar to that of graphite bipolar plates. Finally, the maximum power of a 12-cell stack of polycarbonate bipolar plates was $132.7mW/cm^2$, and it had an operating time of 12 h. Therefore, this was considered a suitable material for bipolar plates in PEMFCs.

본 연구에서는 도금된 폴리카보네이트를 사용하여 공기호흡형 고분자 전해질막 연료전지의 분리판을 제작하였다. 도금층은 구리 $40{\mu}m$, 니켈 $10{\mu}m$, 금 $0.3{\mu}m$ 로 구성되었으며, 구리는 전기 전도층, 니켈은 구리와 금의 결합, 금은 도금층의 부식을 방지하기 위해 사용되었다. 본 분리판을 사용하여 성능을 평가한 결과 $120mW/cm^2$ 의 전력 밀도를 보였으며 이는 동일한 조건에서 그라파이트 분리판을 사용했을 때의 전력밀도와 거의 차이가 나지 않았다. 또한 평판형 12 층 스택의 공기호흡형 연료전지를 구성한 결과 각 전지당 $132.7mW/cm^2$ 의 성능을 보였으며 이를 12 시간 운전해본 결과 안정적인 성능을 보여 공기호흡형 고분자 전해질 연료전지의 분리판으로 적합함을 확인하였다.

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References

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