Efficient preparation and characterization of carbon fiber paper using phenolic resin in-pulp addition method

Carbon fiber paper (CFP) is one of the most widely used gas diffusion layer materials for proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFC) due to its excellent properties such as high conductivity, high strength, high air permeability and corrosion resistance. In this study, CFP was prepared using the phenolic resin (PF) in -pulp addition method. The effect of PF content on the properties of hot -pressed paper (HPP) and CFP was investigated. The results showed that when the dosage of polyethylene oxide (PEO) was 1.5 wt%, the flocculation effect of PEO on PF was basically complete, and the water filterability and retention of carbon fiber pulp were relatively optimal. After HPP was carbonized into CFP, the hydrophobicity, average pore size, porosity, and air permeability increased, while the resistivity and tensile strength decreased. With the increase of PF content, the tensile strength of CFP gradually increased, while the average pore size, porosity, air permeability and resistivity decreased. When the PF content was 250 wt%, the average pore size of CFP was 36.5 mu m, the water contact angle was 127 degrees , the porosity was 69.7%, the air permeability was 7.81 x 10 3 mL mm/(cm 2 .h.mmHg), the resistivity was 21.1 m Omega cm, and the tensile strength was 15.7 MPa. In addition, the CFP prepared using PF in -pulp addition method had a relativity uniform pore size distribution and high air permeability. Therefore, this work shows that the CFP prepared using this technique exhibits excellent comprehensive performance, and enables the manufacturing of CFP to be more efficient, low-cost, and environmentally friendly.