Conductive curable resin composition and separator for fuel cell

#The present invention relates to a conductive curable resin composition with excellent conductivity and heat release properties, and particularly it relates to a fuel cell separator, an assembly for a cell, an electrode or a heat releasing plate and to a process for their production.

#Metals and carbon materials have conventionally been used for purposes requiring high conductivity. Carbon materials, in particular, being materials free of the corrosion that is characteristic of metals and exhibiting excellent heat resistance, lubricating properties, thermoconductivity and durability, have come to play an important role in fields such as electronics, electrochemistry, energy, transport vehicles and the like. Composite materials made of combinations of carbon materials and polymer materials have also reached dramatic levels of development, and have come to serve in a capacity of ever increasing performance and functionality. Greater freedom in shaping processability permitted by combinations with polymer materials in particular has been one reason for the increased development of carbon materials in fields requiring conductivity.

#In recent years, in light of problems related to the environment and energy, greater attention has been focused on clean electric generators wherein fuel cells generate electricity by the reverse reaction of water electrolysis, using hydrogen and oxygen, and producing no waste other than water, and carbon and polymer materials also play an important role for these as well. Solid polymer fuel cells appear to be most promising for use in automobiles and people's use when the purpose is operation at low temperatures. Such fuel cells can exhibit high-output electricity generation by lamination of simple cells composed of a polymer solid electrolyte, gas diffusing electrodes, a catalyst and a separator.

#FIG. 1 is an illustration showing a method of measuring the electric resistivity of graphite powder.

#FIG. 2 is an illustration showing a method of calculating the electric resistivity of graphite powder.

#FIG. 3 shows a double-side grooved cured sheet.

#The present invention will now be explained in greater detail.

#The elastomer (A1) in the curable resin composition of component (A) according to the invention is one or a combination of two or more selected from among acrylonitrile-butadiene rubber, hydrogenated nitrile rubber, styrene-butadiene rubber, ethylene-propylene rubber, ethylene-propylene-diene terpolymer rubber, ethylene-butadiene rubber, fluorine-containing rubber, isoprene rubber, silicone-rubber, acryl rubber, butadiene rubber, high styrene rubber, chloroprene rubber, urethane rubber, polyether-based special rubber, tetrafluoroethylene-propylene rubber, epichlorohydrin rubber, norbornane rubber and butyl rubber.

#Of these, acrylonitrile-butadiene rubber, hydrogenated nitrile rubber, styrene-butadiene rubber, ethylene-propylene rubber, ethylene-propylene-diene terpolymer rubber, ethylene-butadiene rubber, butadiene rubber, fluorine-containing rubber, high styrene rubber, polyether-based special rubber and epichlorohydrin rubber are preferred from the standpoint of durability, water resistance and workability, with acrylonitrile-butadiene rubber, hydrogenated nitrile rubber, styrene-butadiene rubber, ethylene-propylene rubber, ethylene-propylene-diene terpolymer rubber and butadiene rubber being especially preferred.