Pada teknologi Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cell (PEMFC), pelat bipolar merupakan komponen penting yang berfungsi sebagai media pengumpul dan pentransfer elektron dari anoda menuju katoda. Penelitian ini difokuskan dalam pemilihan material serta fabrikasi komposit berbasis matriks polimer dengan penguat karbon. Bahasan utama penelitian ini ialah studi mengenai pengaruh penambahan fraksi volum penguat Multi Wall Carbon Nano Tubes (MWCNT) sebesar 0.1%; 0.5%; dan 1% dan penambahan fraksi volum tembaga (Cu) sebesar 0.1%, 0.2%, dan 0.5% terhadap konduktivitas listrik dan sifat mekanis material pelat bipolar berbasis nano komposit MWCNT/PP-Cu. Material dikarakterisasi melalui pengujian tarik, pengujian tekuk, pengujian densitas, pengujian porositas, pengujian konduktivitas listrik, analisa gugus fungsi dengan menggunakan Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) dan pengamatan permukaan patahan tekuk material pelat bipolar menggunakan Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM). Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa penambahan fraksi volum penguat MWCNT dan Cu dapat meningkatkan nilai konduktivitas listrik, kekuatan tarik, modulus elastisitas, elongasi, kekuatan tekuk serta mereduksi densitas dan porositas material pelat bipolar.
In Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cell (PEMFC) technology, bipolar plate is used to collects and transfers electron from the anode to the cathode. This research focuses on material selection of composite based on polymeric matrix and carbon reinforcements to fabricate the bipolar plate material. The main discussion in this research is the analysis of addition of volume fraction multiwall carbon nano tubes (MWCNT) reinforcement equal to 0.1%; 0.5%; 1% and addition of volume fraction of copper reinforcement equal to 0.1%; 0.2%; and 0.5% to the mechanical and electrical conductivity properties of bipolar plate material based on nano composite MWCNT/PP-Cu. The material is characterized using tensile testing, flexural testing, density testing, porosity testing, electrical conductivity testing, functional groups analysis using Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), chemical composition analysis using Energy Dispersed Spectroscopy (EDS), and observation of flexural fracture of bipolar plate using Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM). The results of this research show that addition of volume fraction multiwall carbon nano tubes (MWCNT) and copper (Cu) reinforcement increases the electrical conductivity, ultimate tensile testing, modulus of elasticity, elongation at break, flexural strength and also reduces the density and porosity of bipolar plate material. |
