Spectracarb Graphitized Carbon Paper as Current Collectors for PEM Electrolyser Applications

CHRISTOPHER PERABO - HANNOVER MESSE TECHNICAL FORUM – 28 APRIL 2016

CAPLINQ Europe BVManufacturer | Distributor | Partner

1. EFT and CAPLINQ IntroUSA and Europe Partnership

2. PEM Electrolyzer MarketMarkets and Applications

3. Spectracarb Production ProcessThe logic of the papermaking process

4. Cost DriversHow next generations will bring down the cost

PRESENTATION OUTLINE

- European presence without requiring a European entity

- We give foreign companies local storefront presence

- No commissions / distributor fees

- We are engineers and technical representatives

- We travel through Europe, the Middle East and Africa

- We meet with designers and engineers, not just purchasers

TECHNICAL REPRESENTATIVE

CAPLINQ GETS WHAT MARKET PARTNER MEANS Not a one-stop shop, but a modular service provider

- We build brand and product awareness: online and offline

- We design technical datasheets, selector guides and brochures

ORDER FULFILLMENT MARKETING STRATEGISTS

MARKETPARTNER

KEY FACTS:

Founded In 1998Founding Members Each With Over 30 Years Experience Fibers/Composites

High Technology Fibers Materials /Services

Located in Shelton, CT1950m2 (~21,000 sq. ft) facilityFiber ProcessingMaterials Development LabSpectracarb Development

ENGINEERED FIBERS TECHNOLOGYEstablished 1998

SPECTRACARB GDL BACKGROUNDTimeline 1991 - 2016

Spectracarb early days – 1991 to 2005

Leading producer of GDL products for commercial applicationsLeader in development of new GDL materials

• DOE Contracts• Automotive / Industrial Sponsorship

Spectracarb 2005 - 2012

Acquired by EFT who has grown Spectracarb through:• Engineered Materials Research• Wet-Laid Paper Development• Specialty Short-Cut Fiber Investigations

Spectracarb 2013 - 2016

Partnership with Caplinq Europe BV Since 2013• Attended Hannover Messe every year since 2013• Technology Focus is customer-led GDL Development

Hydrogen Fuel Cell

Toyota Fuel Cell

FUEL CELLS VS ELECTROLYZEROpposite sides of the same coin

Polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM)

Electrolyzer

FUEL CELLHydrogen INElectricity OUT

ELECTROLYZERElectricity INHydrogen OUT

THE MARKET IS CALLING FOR ELECTROLYZERS There are at least four clear markets that have emerged

++CO2+ 4H2 CH4 + 2H2O

Biogas plantsElectrolyzers have been used to convert CO2 from biogas plants

into methane and water

Power Grid StabilizationStorage of renewable energy

for grid stabilization

Remote Hydrogen ProductionElectrolyzers are used to produce hydrogen for industrial uses in

areas that are remote or difficult to access

Hydrogen FuelElectrolyzers are used to resupply fuel cells for automotive and

light duty vehicles

ELECTROLYZERS FOR GRID STABILIZATIONUSE AMMONIA INSTEAD OF METHANE

TU Delft and NUON are partnering to use the H2 created by electrolyzers to create ammonia.

+N2+ 3H2 2NH3

By using ammonia (NH3) instead of methane (CH4),

energy is generated without freeing CO2

WHERE IN THE WORLD?Electrolyzers for various purposes around the world

United StatesCalifornia is leading the way in

developing the hydrogen station infrastructure, but generally, the USA is slow in addressing hydrogen storage.

GermanyIn Germany, H2 can be fed back into the natural gas

(CH4) grid which can accept a 5% surplus of H2

NetherlandsIn Netherlands, N2 is combined with H2 to create

ammonia (NH3) which is stored as a liquid and reused

Brazil, India and AfricaToday, PEM Electrolyzers are still more expensive that H2

suppliers, but as PEM costs drop PEMs more gain in market share. Also in some cases, the areas are too remote that

PEM Electrolyzers are the best viable option.

WHERE IS SPECTRACARB USED?Different materials for different applications

• Shanghai Shen-Li Fuel Cell Production• 2008 Olympics/2010 World Expo

China City Bus Program

Spectracarb 2050A 6060

Vanadium Redox BatteryFUEL CELL TECHNOLOGY

Spectracarb 2225-900 ACF

PEM ELECTROLYZER

Current Collector

ULTRA CAPACITOR

Spectracarb 2050A 15590 / 7090

Porous Electrodes

Spectracarb 2050A 0850

MATERIAL COMPARISON FOR CURRENT COLLECTOR

BipolarPlate (BiP)

Current CollectorIridium Oxide (IrO2)

Membrane ElectrodeAssembly (MEA)

Platinum (Pt)

Membrane

SpectracarbGDL 2050A-12580

Cath

ode

MATERIAL COMPARISON FOR CURRENT COLLECTORSintered titanium vs graphitized carbon panels

POROUS CURRENT COLLECTOR MATERIALS

Material Properties Spectracarb 2050A-6060 Sintered Titanium

Thickness Thickness range from 125micron to 4mm. Cost has non-linear relationship.

Any thickness is possible, but cost has a linear relationship to thickness

Oxidation on Cathode (H2) side No such effect with the Spectracarb GDL Presents longer-term reliability as the compressed

H2 makes the sintered titanium malleable

Compressibility Can be compressed significantly. A 3mm thick sheet can compress to 2mm under pressures of 6-8MPa Not compressible (rigid) at electrolyzer pressures

Compression Set No compression set. Near perfect hysteris after pressure is removed. N/A – Not compressible

Pore Size Random distribution, average pore size is 20 micron 20 – 100 micronsPorosity 70 – 75% 30 – 50%

Resistance Values Slightly lower resistance values than with sintered titanium. Higher hear treatment decreases resistance.

Slightly higher resistance values obtained than with carbon panels

Cost Considerable price advantage of the carbon paper Considerably more expensive. Twice as expensive in low volumes.

Microporous Layer Can be manufactured directly on the carbon paper Requires a standalone MPLUnder Pressure Carbon paper tends to become brittle under higher pressure No increased brittleness under pressureElectrical Conductivity Requires at least 100 S/cm, the higher the better

SPECTRACARB PRODUCTION

Spectracarb production CapabilityProduction Capacity* > 50K sheets / year

(40 x 40 cm / 50 x 50 cm) *without any manufacturing changes)

Ongoing Production Capacity >100 K Sheets/year *without additional Capital

Larger Size Sheets 55 x 55 mm -70 x 70 mm are Possible with Additional Equipment / Higher Graphitization Temperatures Possible

EFT / SPECTRACARB GDL FOR FUEL CELL ELECTRODES

KEY APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS:

Very High Conductivity Porous Graphite Papers & Panels

High Strength and Durability

Good Air Permeability

Excellent Moisture Transport / Water Management

Lab-Scale Prototype Development toCommercial Scale Manufacturing

Produced in USA / CAPLINQ European Agent

Custom Carbon Panels• Specific Porosity• Specific Density• Tight tolerance on both size

and thickness

Stabilization / Graphitization Furnace temperatures up to

900°C - 3000oCBonded Graphite Fiber Paper/Panel

Basic Process Scheme

Carbon FilamentPrecision Cutting Carbon Fiber Slurry

Resin ImpregnationMolding / Resin CuringOnce injected, resin is cured (hardened)

Paper Formation

Optional Wet-proofing, MPL

coating, sintering

Other Components

PAN FilamentStabilization, carbonization

Carbon FibersWide range of carbon fibers available

ADVANTAGES OF PAPERMAKING APPROACH FOR SPECIALIZED GDL PRODUCTS

VersatilityWide range of fibers, particle

modifiers & binders can be used in papermaking process.

Small ScalePapermaking process makes

small production runs possible.

Lab ScalePreparation is scalable from lab

batch to pilot batch to production scale.

ToleranceProcess allows wider control

over the thickness, density and porosity.

High DensityHigh density and thick panels

with high compressive compliance are possible.

ENGINEERED FIBERS TECHNOLOGY GDL PRODUCTS All Spectracarb™ grades of gas diffusion layer

ENGINEERED FIBERS TECHNOLOGY GAS DIFFUSION LAYER PRODUCTS – ALL SPECTRACARB GRADESGas DiffusionLayer (GDL)SpectracarbGrade

Type Thicknessµm (mils)

Density(g/cm³)

BasicWeight(g/m²)

AirPermeability

(cfm/ft2)

Through Plane

Resistance(mΩcm²)

TensileStrength(N/cm)

FlexuralStrength

(MPa)

FlexuralStiffness

(GPa)Porosity

MeanPore Size(µm)

Thermal Conductivity

(W/m-K)TP (IP)1

PTFETreated MPL

2050A-0550 Paper 130 (5) 0.5 - 35 - - - > 70% No No

2050A-0850 Paper 203 (8) 0.44 88 35 18 4.2 MD & 2.6 XMD 37 95 >70% 3.4 (20.7) No No

2050A-1050 Paper 250 (10) 0.5 - 35 - - - >70% No No2050A-1240 Paper 310 (12) 0.9 - 35 - - - >70% No No2050A-1535 Paper 380 (15) 0.35 - 35 - - - >70% No No2050A-1550 Paper 380 (15) 0.5 175 35 15 - 40 78% 3.4 (20.7) No No2050A-1732 Paper 430 (17) 0.32 - 35 - - - >70% No No2050A-2050 Paper 500 (20) 0.5 - 35 - - - >70% No No2050A-6060 Paper 1524 (60) 0.6 - 35 - - - >70% No No2050A-7090 Paper 1778 (70) 0.9 - 35 - - - >70% No No2050A-135552 Paper 3429 (135) 0.55 - 35 - - - >60% No No2050A-150852 Paper 3810 (150) 0.85 - 35 - - - >60% No No2225-900 ACF Fabric 500 - 135 - - - - - No No1 TP AND IP STAND FOR THROUGH PLANE AND INPLANE RESPECTIVELY. DATA GIVEN @ 25C2 SUITABLE FOR CHANNELED FLOW FIELD APPLICATIONS. MACHINES VERSIONS CAN BE SUPPLIED.» TYPICAL DIMENSIONS ARE: 380 X 380MM, 400 X 400MM AND 500 X 500MM» CUSTOM GRADES AND SIZES (UP TO 1 SQUARE METER) CAN BE FABRICATED TO MEET CUSTOMER SPECIFICATIONS

SPECTRACARB AS ELECTROLYZER CURRENT COLLECTOROnly Spectracarb GDL Panels can be both thick and dense

Spectracarb ElectrolyzerCathode GDL Panels

Spectracarb Electrolyzer

Cathode GDL Panels

0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9 1

Density, g/cc

4000

3500

3000

2500

2000

1500

1000

500

0

Thic

knes

s, m

icro

ns

Spectracarb ElectrolyzerCathode GDL Panels

Spectracarb Carbon Panels can be produced as thin as 130μm (5 mils) and as thick as 3810 130μm (150 mils)

THICKNESS

Spectracarb Carbon Panels have density as low as 0.32 g/cm3 and as thick as high as 0.95g/cm3

DENSITY

ONLY SPECTRACARB GDL CAN BE BE BOTH THICK AND DENSE

PROPERTIES- SPECTRACARB ELECTROLYZER PANELSpectracarb is an elastic material

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 130

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

Stress, PSI

Percent Strain

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 130

102030405060708090

100

Resistivity, mOhm-cm Percent Strain

0 100 200 300 400 500 600 700 800 9000.0

5.0

10.0

15.0

20.0

25.0

Percent Strain 1Percent Strain 2

Strain (%) vs. Stress over compressive loading

Stra

in, %

0 100 200 300 400 500 600 700 800 9000

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

160

Resistivity, mOhm-cm, 1st Loading

Resistivity, mOhm-cm, 2nd Loading

Resistivity (mOhm-cm) vs Stress (psi)

Resis

tivity

Stress: Repeated Stress <20% Strain Resistivity: Repeated Stress <20% Strain

REDUCING THE COST OF PEM ELECTROLYZERSNext generation PEM designs have cost-down strategies in mind

REDUCINGCOSTS

FOUR WAYS TO REDUCE PEM COSTS

Increase active area Higher pressure PEMs

Reduce Material Cost Increase useful life

A larger active area decreases the cost per kg of H2 produced. Custom Spectracarb™ sheets can be supplied up to one square meter in area.

These eliminate a compression step, allowing customers to buy less expensive compressors.Spectracarb™ sheets withstand more than 35 bars of pressure.

Sintered Titanium is expensive and the cost is linear with size. Spectracarb™ is 2-3 times less expensive and with optimized ordering* they can be even less.

Longer life cycles increase the value of the PEM. Yearly service checks reveal that Spectracarb™ sheets are still intact while membranes need to be replaced.

*Factors that affect cost are shown on the next slide.

REDUCE COST OF GRAPHITIZED CARBON PANELSEFT is focused on driving down the production costs

PRODUCTIONCOSTS

Reduce Machining CostsOptimize Furnace Runs

Materials & Size

• Machining to thickness• Cutting to size• Tight tolerance requirements• Processes are ~25% of cost

Furnace runs are expensive!• Furnace same as sintered Ti• Graphitization is >2000°C.• Furnace runs are ~50% of cost

Low volumes are expensive!Whether the furnace runs 1 part or 10,000 parts, the furnace cost is the same. There is a linear relationship between cost and number of units produced.

• Panels are molded in sheets• Circles mean waste material• Panel optimization is key • Materials are ~25% of BOM

EFT’s efforts focus on optimizing furnace production runs.

50%25%

25%

EFT is exploring cheaper methods

EFT is exploring optimal sizes

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THANK YOU!Please get in touch with us to discuss your specific application

Engineered Fibers Technology, LLCServing USA, Canada, Mexico & South America

88 Long Cross RoadShelton, CT 06484USA

Phone: +1 (203) 922 1810Fax: +1 (203) 922 1814

Amsterdam, Netherlands OfficeServing Europe, Middle East, Asia & Africa

Provincialeweg 11561KK KrommenieThe Netherlands

Phone: +31 (20) 893 2224Fax: +31 (84) 746 3497

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