Effects of composite reinforcing filler, vulcanizing temperature, and pressure on mechanical properties of gasket material for proton exchange membrane fuel cells. Issue 23 (28th February 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Hou, Qiong; Yin, Li; Xu, Lifeng; Tan, Jinzhu
• Is Part Of: Journal of applied polymer science. Volume 139:Issue 23(2022)
• Page Start: n/a
• Page End: n/a
• Publication Date: 2022-02-28
• Subjects: composite reinforcing filler -- curing pressure -- curing temperature -- gasket material -- mechanical property -- proton exchange membrane fuel cell; Polymers -- Periodicals; Polymerization -- Periodicals; 668.9
• DOI: 10.1002/app.52298
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0021-8995

Abstract

Abstract: Gasket is one of the key components in proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs), and the performance of the gasket can directly affect the durability and electrochemical performance of the PEMFCs. In this paper, the silicone rubber material, which is being considered as gasket material for PEMFC, was fabricated with different composite reinforcing fillers at different vulcanizing temperatures under different vulcanizing pressures. Effects of the composite reinforcing fillers (i.e., gas‐phase SiO2 and nano‐CaCO3 ), vulcanizing temperatures, and pressures on mechanical properties of the silicone rubber material were investigated. The tensile, hardness measurement, compression set, and compression stress relaxation experimental results show that the mass ratios of the gas‐phase SiO2 to nano‐CaCO3, curing temperatures, and pressures had a significant impact on the mechanical properties of PEMFC gasket materials. It is found that the silicone rubber material cured at a vulcanization temperature of 160 °C and a vulcanization pressure of 10 MPa had good compression mechanical properties compared to the materials cured at the other curing temperatures and curing pressures. Orthogonal test results show that, when mass ratio of the gas‐phase SiO2 to nano‐CaCO3 was 25:20, the silicone rubber material cured at the curing temperature of 160 °C and under the curing pressure of 10 MPa had good compressive stress relaxation performance in this work. Abstract : The silicone rubber material, which is being considered as gasket material for PEMFC, was fabricated with different composite reinforcing fillers at different vulcanizing temperatures under different vulcanizing pressures. The tensile, hardness measurement, compression set, and compression stress relaxation experimental results show that the mass ratios of the gas‐phase SiO2 to nano‐CaCO3, curing temperatures, and pressures had a significant impact on the mechanical properties of PEMFC gasket materials. It is found that the silicone rubber material cured at a vulcanization temperature of 160 °C and a vulcanization pressure of 10 MPa had good compression mechanical properties compared to the materials cured at the other curing temperatures and curing pressures. Orthogonal test results show that, when mass ratio of the gas‐phase SiO2 to nano‐CaCO3 was 25:20, the silicone rubber material cured at the curing temperature of 160 °C and under the curing pressure of 10 MPa had good compressive stress relaxation performance in this work.