Insulator and seal for fuel cell assemblies

Abstract

Methods and materials for sealing and insulating a fuel cell plate are disclosed. The disclosed process includes applying a coating precursor on at least one surface of the fuel cell plate, and curing the coating precursor by exposure to radiation. Disclosed coating precursors include those containing an acrylated oligomer and a photoinitiator, which can polymerize in response to ultraviolet or electron beam radiation. Other disclosed coating precursors are those that can polymerize in response to exposure to infrared radiation or heating, and include epoxy nitrite resins and organopolysiloxane resins. The disclosed processes and coating precursors provide certain advantages over conventional methods and designs for insulating and sealing fuel cell plates since the disclosed coating precursors can be quickly and precisely applied to fuel cell plates by, for example, screening printing.

1 - 59 . (Cancelled)  
     
     
         60 . A process for sealing and insulating a fuel cell plate, the process comprising: 
 providing a gas impermeable fuel cell plate having first and second surfaces;    applying a coating precursor on at least the first surface of the fuel cell plate, the coating precursor adapted to polymerize in response to radiation; and    exposing the coating precursor on the fuel cell plate to radiation to initiate polymerization.    
     
     
         61 . The process of  claim 60 , wherein the coating precursor is applied by screen printing.  
     
     
         62 . The process of  claim 60 , wherein the coating precursor is exposed to ultraviolet radiation.  
     
     
         63 . The process of  claim 62 , wherein the coating precursor is successively exposed to ultraviolet radiation of at least two different wavelengths.  
     
     
         64 . The process of  claim 60 , wherein the coating precursor is exposed to infrared radiation.  
     
     
         65 . The process of  claim 60 , wherein the coating precursor is adapted to polymerize in response to ultraviolet radiation.  
     
     
         66 . The process of  claim 60 , wherein the coating precursor is adapted to polymerize in response to electron beam radiation.  
     
     
         67 . The process of  claim 60 , wherein the coating precursor is adapted to polymerize in response to infrared radiation.  
     
     
         68 . The process of  claim 60 , wherein the coating precursor is exposed to radiation for about less than about 45 minutes.  
     
     
         69 . The process of  claim 60 , wherein the coating precursor is exposed to radiation for about less than about one minute.  
     
     
         70 . The process of  claim 60 , wherein the coating precursor is exposed to radiation for about less than about 30 seconds.  
     
     
         71 . The process of  claim 60 , wherein the coating precursor is exposed to radiation for about less than about 15 seconds.  
     
     
         72 . The process of  claim 60 , wherein the coating precursor is exposed to radiation for about less than about 5 seconds.  
     
     
         73 . The process of  claim 60 , wherein the coating precursor is an ultraviolet-curable coating precursor.  
     
     
         74 . The process of  claim 60 , wherein the coating precursor is an electron beam-curable coating precursor.  
     
     
         75 . The process of  claim 60 , wherein the coating precursor is an infrared-curable coating precursor.  
     
     
         76 . A process for sealing and insulating a fuel cell plate, the process comprising: 
 providing a gas impermeable fuel cell plate having first and second surfaces;    applying a coating precursor on at least the first surface of the fuel cell plate, the coating precursor adapted to polymerize in response to ultraviolet radiation; and    exposing the coating precursor on the fuel cell plate to ultraviolet radiation to initiate polymerization, wherein the coating precursor includes an acrylated oligomer and a photoinitiator.    
     
     
         77 . The process of  claim 76 , wherein the coating precursor further includes a mono-functional monomer for reducing viscosity.  
     
     
         78 . The process of  claim 76 , wherein the coating precursor further includes a multi-functional monomer for increasing cross-link density.  
     
     
         79 . The process of  claim 76 , wherein the coating precursor further includes a adhesion promoter.  
     
     
         80 . The process of  claim 76 , wherein the coating precursor further includes an air-release agent.  
     
     
         81 . An insulated fuel cell plate comprising: 
 a gas impermeable plate having first and second surfaces; and    a coating precursor applied on at least one of the first and second surfaces of the plate, the coating precursor adapted to polymerize in response to radiation.    
     
     
         82 . The insulted fuel cell plate of  claim 81 , wherein the coating precursor is less than about 250 μ thick.  
     
     
         83 . The insulated fuel cell plate of  claim 81 , wherein the coating precursor is less than about 150 μ thick.  
     
     
         84 . The insulated fuel cell plate of  claim 81 , wherein the coating precursor is adapted to polymerize in response to ultraviolet radiation.  
     
     
         85 . The insulated fuel cell plate of  claim 81 , wherein the coating precursor is adapted to polymerize in response to electron beam radiation.  
     
     
         86 . The insulated fuel cell plate of  claim 81 , wherein the coating precursor is adapted to polymerize in response to infrared radiation.  
     
     
         87 . The insulated fuel cell plate of  claim 81 , wherein the coating precursor is substantially polymerized after exposure to radiation for about less than about 45 minutes.  
     
     
         88 . The insulated fuel cell plate of  claim 81 , wherein the coating precursor is substantially polymerized after exposure to radiation for about less than about one minute.  
     
     
         89 . The insulated fuel cell plate of  claim 81 , wherein the coating precursor is substantially polymerized after exposure to radiation for about less than about 30 seconds.  
     
     
         90 . The insulated fuel cell plate of  claim 81 , wherein the coating precursor is substantially polymerized after exposure to radiation for about less than about 15 seconds.  
     
     
         91 . The insulated fuel cell plate of  claim 81 , wherein the coating precursor is substantially polymerized after exposure to radiation for about less than about 5 seconds.  
     
     
         92 . An insulated fuel cell plate comprising: 
 a gas impermeable plate having first and second surfaces; and    a coating precursor applied on at least one of the first and second surfaces of the plate, polymerized in response to radiation and wherein the coating precursor is an acrylate resin, an epoxy nitrile resin, or an organopolysiloxane, either alone or in combination.    
     
     
         93 . The insulated fuel cell plate of  claim 92 , wherein the coating precursor includes an acrylated urethane oligomer and a photoinitiator.  
     
     
         94 . The insulated fuel cell plate of  claim 93 , wherein the coating precursor further includes a mono-functional monomer for reducing viscosity.  
     
     
         95 . The insulated fuel cell plate of  claim 93 , wherein the coating precursor further includes a multi-functional monomer for increasing cross-link density.  
     
     
         96 . The insulated fuel cell plate of  claim 93 , wherein the coating precursor further includes a adhesion promoter.  
     
     
         97 . The insulated fuel cell plate of  claim 93 , wherein the coating precursor further includes an air-release agent.  
     
     
         98 . An ultraviolet radiation curable coating precursor that is applied on a non-metallic substrate, comprising: 
 an acrylated aliphatic urethane oligomer;    an acrylated epoxy oligomer;    a mono-functional monomer for reducing viscosity of the coating precursor;    a multi-functional monomer for increasing cross-link density;    an air release agent;    an adhesion promoter; and    a photoinitiator.    
     
     
         99 . The ultraviolet radiation-curable coating precursor of  claim 98 , wherein the mono-functional monomer is isobornyl acrylate monomer.  
     
     
         100 . The ultraviolet radiation-curable coating precursor of  claim 98 , wherein the adhesion promoter is a methacrylated polyol.  
     
     
         101 . The ultraviolet radiation-curable coating precursor of  claim 98 , wherein the multi-functional monomer is propoxylated glycerol triacrylate monomer.  
     
     
         102 . The ultraviolet radiation-curable coating precursor of  claim 98 , wherein the photoinitiator is a blend of  
     
     
         1 -phenyl-2-hydroxy-2-methyl- 
     
     
         1 -propanone and benzophenone.  
     
     
         103 . The ultraviolet radiation-curable coating precursor of  claim 98 , wherein the air-release agent is a polydimethyl siloxane.  
     
     
         104 . An ultraviolet radiation-curable coating precursor is applied to a non-metallic substrate comprising: 
 from about 25 wt. % to about 65 wt. % of an acrylated aliphatic urethane oligomer;    from about 5 wt. % to about 20 wt. % of an acrylated epoxy oligomer;    from about 20 wt. % to about 40 wt. % of a mono-functional monomer for reducing viscosity of the coating precursor;    from about    
     
     
         1  wt. % to about 5 wt. % of a multi-functional monomer for increasing cross-link density; 
 from about    
     
     
         1  wt. % to about  
     
     
         15  wt. % of an adhesion promoter; 
 from about 0.1 wt. % to about    
     
     
         10  wt. % of a photoinitiator; and 
 an air release agent.    
     
     
         105 . The ultraviolet radiation-curable coating precursor of  claim 104 , wherein the mono-functional monomer is isobornyl acrylate monomer.  
     
     
         106 . The ultraviolet radiation-curable coating precursor of  claim 104 , wherein the adhesion promoter is a methacrylated polyol.  
     
     
         107 . The ultraviolet radiation-curable coating precursor of  claim 104 , wherein the multi-functional monomer is propoxylated glycerol triacrylate monomer.  
     
     
         108 . The ultraviolet radiation-curable coating precursor of  claim 104 , wherein the photoinitiator is a blend of  
     
     
         1 -phenyl-2-hydroxy-2-methyl- 
     
     
         1 -propanone and benzophenone.  
     
     
         109 . The ultraviolet radiation-curable coating precursor of  claim 104 , wherein the air-release agent is a polydimethyl siloxane.