# US 11,897,172 B2 · Method for fabricating polar plate of flexible plastic graphite composite

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- Number: US 11,897,172 B2
- Document ID: US11897172B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/464,776
- Filed: 2021-09-02
- Published: 2023-03-02
- Granted: 2024-02-13
- Earliest claimed: 2021-09-02
- Assignees: Institute of Nuclear Energy Research, Atomic Energy Council, Executive Yuan, R.O.C.
- Applicants: Institute of Nuclear Energy Research, Atomic Energy Council, Executive Yuan, R.O.C.
- Inventors: Hung-Hsien Ku; Ning-Yih Hsu; Han-Jou Lin; Tai-Feng Hung; Qiao-Ya Chen
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11897172B2

## CPC

- B29B 7/005: {for mixing in batches}
- B29C 43/006: {Pressing and sintering powders, granules or fibres}
- B29B 7/7495: {for mixing rubber}
- B29B 7/885: {with means for treating, e.g. milling, the charges (B29B7/905 takes precedence)}
- B29B 7/90: Fillers or reinforcements {, e.g. fibres}
- B29B 7/94: Liquid charges
- B29B 9/02: by dividing preformed material
- B29C 43/003: {characterised by the choice of material}
- B29C 43/24: Calendering
- B29C 43/46: Rollers
- B29C 43/52: Heating or cooling
- C08K 3/04: Carbon
- C08K 7/06: Elements
- D03D 15/25: Metal
- D03D 15/275: Carbon fibres
- H01M 8/0213: Gas-impermeable carbon-containing materials
- H01M 8/0226: in the form of mixtures
- H01M 8/188: {by recharging of redox couples containing fluids; Redox flow type batteries}
- B29K 2101/10: Thermosetting resins
- B29K 2101/12: Thermoplastic materials
- C08K 2201/001: Conductive additives
- Y02E 60/50: Fuel cells
- B29B: PREPARATION OR PRETREATMENT OF THE MATERIAL TO BE SHAPED; MAKING GRANULES OR PREFORMS; RECOVERY OF PLASTICS OR OTHER CONSTITUENTS OF WASTE MATERIAL CONTAINING PLASTICS
- B29C: SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING (making preforms B29B11/00; making laminated products by combining previously unconnected layers which become one product whose layers will remain together B32B37/00 - B32B41/00)
- C08K: Use of inorganic or non-macromolecular organic substances as compounding ingredients (paints, inks, varnishes, dyes, polishes, adhesives C09)
- D03D: WOVEN FABRICS; METHODS OF WEAVING; LOOMS
- H01M: PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY
- B29K: INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASSES B29B, B29C OR B29D, RELATING TO MOULDING MATERIALS OR TO MATERIALS FOR {MOULDS, } REINFORCEMENTS, FILLERS OR PREFORMED PARTS, e.g. INSERTS
- Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION

## Abstract

A polar plate is fabricated. The polar plate is flexible and made of a plastic graphite composite. No matter a supporting member is used for calendering or not, a thin polar plate with controllable thickness is fabricated. The polar plate is excellent in blocking the through-transmission of vanadium ions and the limit of blending ratio of conductive carbon is broken through. The longitudinal through-transmission volume resistivity (proportional resistance to thickness) is greatly improved by adjusting the blending ratio of conductive carbon for meeting the demand of conductivity. In the mean time, the present invention strengthens the rigidity required for the thin polar plate while providing large-area polar plate fabrication for industrial use and convenience and provides a cooling and pressing method for patterning a composite polar plate. An integrated mold is thus obtained to replace the conventional polar plate which needs to be processed and prepared with runner.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method for fabricating a polar plate of a plastic graphite composite comprising steps of:
(a) ball-milling a conductive powder composition with high carbon (>98%), less than 5 weight percent (wt %) of a flame retardant, and low ash (<1%) for at least 0.5 hours (hr) at a speed of at least 200 rounds per minute (rpm) to form a conductive powder;
(b) mixing the conductive powder, a thermoplastic/thermosetting resin adhesive composition, and a solvent by stirring at least 1 hr to form a mixture;
(c) directly and repeatedly calendering said mixture into a rigid plastic sheet by rolling/squeezing and obtaining a requested thickness of said plastic sheet;
(d) depositing said plastic sheet to process volatilization under a low-temperature vacuum to remove said solvent;
(e) obtaining a composite plastic plate through repeatedly calendering said plastic sheet to a requested thickness with at least one conductive woven iron fabric supporting member stacked into layers consisting of an upper layer of the plastic sheet together with a lower layer of the plastic sheet and a plurality of overlapping layers of the plastic sheet alternating with the conductive woven iron fabric support members to obtain at least one layer of a plastic composite plate having the plastic sheets and the at least one woven iron fabric supporting member; and
(f) graphic-shaping said plastic composite plate with required heat and pressure according to a requested graph to obtain a finished shaped plate.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein said thermoplastic/thermosetting resin adhesive composition is selected from a group consisting of a thermoplastic resin, a thermosetting resin, and a combination of said thermoplastic resin and said thermosetting resin.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The method according to claim 2, wherein said thermoplastic/thermosetting resin adhesive composition is selected from a group consisting of a halogen crystalline resin, a halogen non-crystalline resin, a non-halogen crystalline resin, and a non-halogen non-crystalline resin.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein said graph is at least one line continuously extending and said line is selected from a group consisting of a straight line, a wavy curve, a regular line, and an irregular line.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein, in step (f), said pressure is a gauge pressure greater than 20 kilograms-force per square centimeter (kgf/cm2).

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein said finished plate has a volume resistivity at Z-axis not greater than 10−1 ohm-meters.