Gasket sealing material for fuel cells
A gasket sealing material for a fuel cell comprising: at least 25% dry w/w chemically exfoliated vermiculite; and at least 15% dry w/w plate-like filler; wherein the plate-like filler has an average particle size of less than or equal to 10 μm. Gaskets, fuel cells, uses of the gasket and sealing material are also defined.
1. A gasket sealing material for a fuel cell comprising:
at least 25% dry w/w chemically exfoliated vermiculite; and
at least 15% dry w/w plate-like filler;
wherein the chemically exfoliated vermiculite and the plate-like filler are intimately mixed,
wherein the plate-like filler has an average particle size of less than or equal to 10 μm, and
wherein the gasket sealing material has a density prior to use of less than or equal to 1.1 g/cm 3 .
2. The gasket sealing material according to claim 1 , wherein the plate-like filler is talc.
3. The gasket sealing material according to claim 1 , wherein the plate-like filler is present at at least 25% dry w/w gasket sealing material.
4. The gasket sealing material according to claim 1 , wherein the chemically exfoliated vermiculite is present at at least 30% dry w/w gasket sealing material.
5. The gasket sealing material according to claim 1 , wherein more than 25% dry w/w of the plate-like filler in the gasket sealing material has an average particle size of greater than 2 μm.
6. The gasket sealing material according to claim 1 , wherein the plate-like filler has an average particle size of from 2 to 10 μm.
7. The gasket sealing material according to claim 1 , comprising a combination of chemically exfoliated vermiculite and plate-like filler in excess of 95% dry w/w.
8. A gasket for sealing two mating surfaces of a fuel cell comprising at least one sealing layer comprising the gasket sealing material according to claim 1 and at least one of a core layer, a support layer, or a coating layer.
9. A fuel cell or fuel cell component comprising one or more gaskets according to claim 8 , wherein each of the one or more gaskets is located between two mating surfaces of the fuel cell or fuel cell component.
10. A fuel cell or fuel cell component comprising the gasket sealing material according to claim 1 , wherein the gasket sealing material is located between two mating surfaces of the fuel cell or fuel cell component.