Ballard Power Systems Inc. (Vancouver, BC) announced that its Material Products Division has developed AvCarb P50T carbon fiber paper with superior gas-diffusion properties for use in proton-exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cell applications. The gas-diffusion layer allows for the even diffusion of hydrogen and air against the membrane at the heart of a PEM fuel cell.
The AvCarb P50T carbon fiber paper is the result of a two-year development program, which focused on designing a carbon fiber product specifically for the fuel cell industry. The carbon fiber paper is manufactured using Ballard's AccuCarb continuous-carbonization process under ISO 9001 and QS 9000 quality systems.
"This innovative product has excellent performance characteristics and is designed to be manufactured and utilized in a continuous process," said Bill Foulds, general manager of Ballard's Material Products Division. "Ballard's unique processing of the carbon fiber paper minimizes the effects of moisture exposure, enhances performance, provides durability and has the potential to become the lowest-cost gas-diffusion layer material available."
