Chapter 13 - Developing the processing stages of carbon fiber composite paper as efficient materials for energy conversion, storage, and conservation

Abstract

Carbon fibers are a well-known engineering material because of their high conductivity and favorable strength-to-weight ratio. In this chapter, the development of carbon paper in the form of fibrous C/C composite is discussed. The processing of carbon paper has been divided into four steps, with the product of each stage used distinctly for different energy applications: (1) carbon fiber preform has been used as a filler to achieve high strength in bipolar plates for PEM fuel cells (energy conversion); (2) resin-impregnated perform, that is, the green composite paper has been employed as an energy-efficient heating element (energy conservation); (3) the carbonized paper worked well as a freestanding anode for rechargeable Li-ion and Na-ion batteries (energy storage); and the (4) graphitized carbon paper has proved to be an excellent electrode backing for PEM fuel cells. This in turn is attributed to the unique properties acquired by the material as a result of controlled processing and required modifications.