Energy Storage Science and Technology ›› 2025, Vol. 14 ›› Issue (3): 984-996.doi: 10.19799/j.cnki.2095-4239.2024.1182

• Emerging Investigator Issue of Energy Storage • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Research progress on key technologies and industrialization of carbon fiber paper for proton exchange membrane fuel cells

Yangfeng WANG1,2(), Bo REN2, Hongtao WANG2, Shuandi HOU1,2()   

  1. 1.SINOPEC Research Institute of Petroleum Processing Co. , Ltd. , Beijing 100083, China
    2.SINOPEC Dalian Research Institute of Petroleum and Petrochemicals Co. , Ltd. , Dalian 116045, Liaoning, China
  • Received:2024-12-12 Revised:2025-01-05 Online:2025-03-28 Published:2025-04-28
  • Contact: Shuandi HOU E-mail:wangyangfeng.fshy@sinopec.com;houshuandi.fshy@sinopec.com

Abstract:

Hydrogen energy is vital for achieving energy structural transformation and building a low-carbon society. Proton exchange membrane fuel cells are among the core devices for hydrogen energy conversion and utilization. Compared to industrial research on materials such as catalysts and proton exchange membranes, studies on carbon fiber paper, the base layer of the gas diffusion layer, have been underexplored. Domestic production of carbon fiber paper is considered the "last barrier" among core fuel cell materials. This study examines key bottlenecks in the industrial preparation of carbon fiber paper, beginning with an overview of mainstream manufacturing processes. The analysis highlights that the key technologies in wet-laying formation involve constructing a uniform and stable carbon fiber support framework and establishing a consistently integrated fiber-resin interface. Regarding industrialization, domestic efforts remain in the early stages and product validation phase. Compared to small-scale laboratory research, mass production presents increased engineering and technical challenges. Finally, this study summarizes recent domestic advancements in carbon fiber paper research and outlines future focus areas to promote sustainable industrialization of carbon fiber paper domestically.

Key words: hydrogen energy, fuel cell, carbon fiber paper, gas diffusion layer

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