Gas permeable flexible graphite sheet material and process therefor

1. A process for preparing a gas permeable flexible graphite sheet for a proton exchange membrane fuel cell, comprising:

(a) providing exfoliated graphite flakes;

(b) admixing the exfoliated graphite flakes with a sacrificial additive to form a graphite mixture;

(c) compressing the graphite mixture into a sheet having two major surfaces, the sheet having sacrificial additive dispersed therethrough;

(d) impregnating the sheet with a resin;

(e) treating the sheet to at least partially remove the sacrificial additive to form a permeable flexible graphite sheet having pathways extending from one major surface of the sheet to the other major surface of the sheet; and

(f) incorporating the resin-impregnated permeable flexible graphite sheet into a proton exchange membrane fuel cell.

2. The process of claim 1 wherein a pattern is embossed on the sheet.

3. The process of claim 2 wherein the pattern is embossed on the sheet prior to treatment of the sheet to at least partially remove the sacrificial additive.

4. The process of claim 2 wherein the pattern is embossed on the sheet subsequent to treatment of the sheet to at least partially remove the sacrificial additive.

5. The process of claim 1 wherein the sacrificial additive is selected from the group consisting of methylcellulose, paper fiber, microballoons, ammonia carbonate, inorganic fibers, thermoplastic resin compounds, thermoset resin compounds, buckminsterfullerenes, and mixtures thereof.

6. The process of claim 5 wherein the sacrificial additive is present in the graphite mixture at a level of up to about 20 pph.

7. The process of claim 1 wherein the sheet is treated to at least partially remove the sacrificial additive by exposing the sheet to heat.

8. The process of claim 7 wherein the sheet is exposed to a temperature of at least about 250° C. to at least partially remove the sacrificial additive.

9. The process of claim 8 wherein the heat treatment is for at least about 10 minutes.

10. A process for preparing a gas permeable flexible graphite sheet for a proton exchange membrane fuel cell, comprising:

(a) providing graphite flakes;

(b) admixing the graphite flakes with a sacrificial additive to form a graphite mixture;

(c) expanding the graphite flakes;

(d) compressing the graphite mixture into a sheet having two major surface, the sheet having sacrificial additive dispersed therethrough;

(e) impregnating the sheet with a resin;

(f) treating the sheet to at least partially remove the sacrificial additive to form a permeable flexible graphite sheet having pathways extending from one major surface of the sheet to the other major surface of the sheet;

(g) incorporating the resin-impregnated permeable flexible graphite sheet into a proton exchange membrane fuel cell.

11. The process of claim 10 wherein the sacrificial additive is selected from the group consisting of methylcellulose, paper fiber, microballoons, ammonia carbonate, inorganic fibers, thermoplastic resin compounds, thermoset resin compounds, buckminsterfullerenes, and mixtures thereof.

12. The process of claim 11 wherein the sacrificial additive is present in the graphite mixture at a level of up to about 20 pph.

13. The process of claim 10 wherein the sheet is treated to at least partially remove the sacrificial additive by exposing the sheet to heat.

14. The process of claim 13 wherein the sheet is exposed to a temperature of at least about 250° C. to at least partially remove the sacrificial additive.

15. The process of claim 14 wherein the heat treatment is for at least about 10 minutes.