{"title":"Gas Diffusion Layers","description":"\u003cp\u003eCarbon paper and carbon cloth gas diffusion layers for fuel cells, electrolyzers, CO₂ electrolysis, and flow batteries. Made in house in Bryan, Texas. Wet-proofing and a microporous layer can be added.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShop Standard GDLs. \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/request-a-quote\"\u003eRequest a Custom GDL\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eWhat is a gas diffusion layer?\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA gas diffusion layer is a porous conductive sheet between the catalyst and the flow field. It moves gas, helps manage liquid water, carries current, and supports the catalyst layer. Carbon paper is the rigid sheet. Carbon cloth is the flexible sheet.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eChoose the layer\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCarbon paper. Thin and consistent. Fuel cells, test cells, and gas diffusion electrodes.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCarbon cloth. Flexible, with a more open pore structure. Fuel cells, flow batteries, and liquid-electrolyte cells.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMicroporous layer. A finer carbon layer on one or both sides. It keeps catalyst ink out of the large pores and manages gas and water. None, one side, or both sides.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWet-proofing. A PTFE treatment that limits liquid water in the pores. The level depends on the cell.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDo not use a carbon gas diffusion layer on the anode of a PEM electrolyzer. Carbon oxidizes at that anode.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eApplications\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePEM and high-temperature PEM fuel cells, hydrogen-air and hydrogen-oxygen cells, direct alcohol fuel cells, CO₂ electrolysis, alkaline and anion-exchange-membrane electrodes, and redox-flow batteries. Selected layers are also used in metal-air electrodes, hydrogen pumps, and electrochemical sensors.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFuel Cells Etc manufactures ELAT carbon cloth in this collection, and can wet-proof, add a microporous layer, and catalyst-coat it in house.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFor a width, wet-proof level, or microporous layer that is not listed, \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/request-a-quote\"\u003erequest a quote\u003c\/a\u003e. Include the application, paper or cloth, size, microporous layer, wet-proofing, and quantity.\u003c\/p\u003e\n","products":[{"product_id":"activated-cloth","title":"ELAT® Activated - 406 μm Plain Carbon Cloth","description":"\u003cp\u003eELAT® Activated Plain Carbon Cloth gas diffusion layers are excellent for flow batteries where it is critical to use a very thin electrode material. The excellent tensile and interlaminar shear strengths prevent fabric wrinkling. Activated ELAT® is designed specifically for liquid-type electrochemical reactors. The thickness of this GDL is 406 μm.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eELAT® - Activated Plain Cloth: Properties and Advantages:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLiquid reactant-consuming electrochemical devices require the liquid medium to fully access the electrocatalyst layers; hence, the wettability of the gas diffusion layer becomes of prime importance for excellent electrochemical performance. ELAT® - Activated Plain Cloth is manufactured with our own proprietary treatment in order to generate an activated nature in it. After the activation process, there is a generation of surface functional groups (such as carboxylic acid, ether, etc.) that improves the interaction of the fiber surface with electrolyte species. The plain\/pristine\/unmodified cloth is solely composed of long carbon fibers and does not have the microporous layer (MPL). As soon as the liquid reactant enters the electrochemical device, it immediately reaches the surface of the anode or cathode electrocatalyst and starts reacting. This product has good compressibility in order to provide compliance for thickness variation in other components, excellent electrical conductivity and mechanical resilience, and does not require any PTFE treatment (also known as Teflonization). These features make ELAT® Activated Plain Cloth ideally suitable for all flow batteries, direct methanol fuel cells, electrolyzers, batteries, and various other electrochemical devices.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn addition to the use of this activated carbon cloth in electrochemical devices as the electrode itself (either with a catalyst or no catalyst), surface activation of this GDL also makes it ideal for deposition of various materials via electroless or electrolytic methods for studying catalytic materials under ex-situ conditions.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIs Activated the Same as 100% Hydrophilic?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eActivated carbon-based products without any dopants will not provide 100% hydrophilicity compared to silica gel or aluminum oxide type oxide surfaces, regardless of the activation process. Pristine or unmodified carbon fiber surfaces are neutral to hydrophobic in their surface wettability after their production at high temperatures under reducing atmospheres. The lack of functional groups (such as carboxylic acids, ethers, etc.) on the outer surface of the carbon fibers would prevent ionic bonding with aqueous species such as water molecules. Our activation procedure does indeed generate functional groups (such as carboxylic acids, ethers, etc.) on the surface of the fibers and makes this product more hydrophilic compared to the pristine product, though the activated ELAT® carbon cloth material would not be similar to silica gel or aluminum oxide in terms of surface wettability. It is not possible to activate the entire carbon fiber surface because further activation simply converts the existing functional groups into CO₂ gas and permanently removes the carbon fiber surface. In short, activated carbon substrate products will not be similar to silica gel or aluminum oxide type materials from a wettability aspect.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Fuel Cells Etc","offers":[{"title":"10 x 10","offer_id":49732629364995,"sku":"11070001","price":20.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"20 x 20","offer_id":49732629397763,"sku":"11070002","price":39.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"30 x 30","offer_id":49732629430531,"sku":"11070003","price":59.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"40 x 40","offer_id":49732629463299,"sku":"11070004","price":79.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0822\/6524\/3907\/files\/ELAT.jpg?v=1790704862"},{"product_id":"elat-lt1400","title":"ELAT® 1400 - 454 μm Carbon Cloth","description":"\u003cp\u003eFuel Cells Etc’s ELAT® 1400 is a carbon cloth Gas Diffusion Layer (GDL) with a carbon microporous layer. The thickness is 454 μm. ELAT® has been engineered to have state-of-the-art performance over a wide range of operating conditions.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eELAT® 1400: Properties and Advantages\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGaseous reactant-consuming electrochemical devices require the fuel or oxidant species to reach to the anode or cathode electrocatalyst layers in an evenly distributed fashion. Additionally, if the electrochemical device needs to consume a liquid reactant in a controlled fashion (meaning limiting the quantity of the liquid medium arriving to the catalyst layer), then there is a need for Teflonization both at the substrate fabric and MPL sections. ELAT® 1400 gas diffusion layer is comprised of base fabric (also known as substrate) and MPL. Having the Teflonization treatment both at the base fabric and MPL sections provides unique features. Teflonization improves the water management aspect of the electrochemical device if the reactant species are in gaseous form. MPL is comprised of carbon black and PTFE, and it provides a cushioning effect for the membrane and protects it from being damaged by the long carbon fibers present in the base fabric. Having the micro-porous and macro-porous features within the MPL and base fabric improves the even distribution of the gaseous species across the entire active area.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf ELAT® 1400 is used with liquid reactant-consuming electrochemical devices, the presence of Teflon limits how fast the electrocatalyst layer is flooded by the liquid medium. For example, for direct methanol fuel cells, it is essential that the hydrophobicity of the MPL and base fabric restricts how much methanol\/water arrives at the anode electrocatalyst layer and hence gets close to the membrane. With the proper Teflonization, the fuel crossover issues can potentially be minimized to a certain extent.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe above-mentioned features make ELAT® 1400 ideally suitable for gaseous reactant-consuming electrochemical devices (such as hydrogen\/air fuel cells, hydrogen\/oxygen fuel cells, etc.), gas-generating electrochemical devices (such as the cathode side of the PEM or alkaline electrolyzers, etc.), direct methanol fuel cells, batteries, and various other electrochemical devices.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eELAT - LT1400: Interfacial Contact Resistance as a Function of Contact Pressure\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe graph below provides the interfacial contact resistance of ELAT® 1400 at different contact pressure values (Credit: \u003cstrong\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1080\/19397038.2021.1986592\"\u003eAmit C. Bhosale et al. in the article entitled \"Effect of gas pressure and clamping pressure on interfacial contact resistance of a cylindrical polymer membrane fuel cell\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\").\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cimg alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0822\/6524\/3907\/files\/desc-interfacial-contact-resistance-elat-lt1400.jpg?v=1790961453\" style=\"width: 600px; height: 423px\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSuggested Uses\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eFuel Cells\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eElectrolysis\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eFlow Through Batteries\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWater Clean-up Electrochemistry\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e","brand":"Fuel Cells Etc","offers":[{"title":"5 x 5","offer_id":49732629496067,"sku":"11070005","price":19.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"10 x 10","offer_id":49732629528835,"sku":"11070006","price":30.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"20 x 20","offer_id":49732629561603,"sku":"11070007","price":79.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"40 x 40","offer_id":49732629594371,"sku":"11070008","price":235.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0822\/6524\/3907\/files\/ELAT.jpg?v=1790704862"},{"product_id":"elat-lt2400","title":"ELAT® 2400 - 490 μm Carbon Cloth","description":"\u003cp\u003eFuel Cells Etc’s ELAT® 2400 is a carbon cloth gas diffusion layer (GDL) with a carbon microporous layer on both sides. The thickness of this GDL is about 490 μm. ELAT® has been engineered to have state-of-the-art performance over a wide range of operating conditions.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGas Diffusion Layers (GDL) are key components of the membrane electrode assembly of the polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell (PEMFC). The PEMFC can provide traction, residential and portable power.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eELAT® 2400: Properties and Advantages\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eDo you have two different reactions occurring within the same electrode in your electrochemical device (one reaction at the back side and one reaction at the front side of the electrode)? For example, your electrochemical device is indirectly consuming a chemical hydride in order to first generate the hydrogen from the hydrolysis of the chemical hydride on the back side of the electrode with one particular catalyst and then the generated hydrogen is being consumed with the second electrocatalyst material at the front side of the electrode (near the electrolyte or membrane). Such features would usually require having two microporous layers on the same gas diffusion layer. ELAT® 2400 gas diffusion layer is the only material in the industry with two MPLs. Teflonization is done both on the base fabric and the MPLs.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHaving two distinct MPLs on the same gas diffusion layer will allow you to apply the same or different catalysts with different functionalities on this material in order to have a multi-functional property. With such an advanced composite structure, ELAT® 2400 is ideally suitable for electrochemical devices consuming liquid chemical hydrides (sodium borohydride, ammonia borane, etc.) within the electrochemical cell, hydrazine hydrate-consuming fuel cells, and various other electrochemical devices. Additionally, ELAT® 2400 gas diffusion layer can also be used in conventional PEM and alkaline fuel cells, electrolyzers, batteries, microbial fuel cells, and other relevant electrochemical systems.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSuggested Uses\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eFuel Cells\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eElectrolysis\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eFlow-Through Batteries\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWater Clean-up Electrochemistry\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e","brand":"Fuel Cells Etc","offers":[{"title":"5 x 5","offer_id":49732629725443,"sku":"11070011","price":20.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"10 x 10","offer_id":49732629758211,"sku":"11070012","price":45.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"20 x 20","offer_id":49732629790979,"sku":"11070013","price":125.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"40 x 40","offer_id":49732629823747,"sku":"11070014","price":398.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0822\/6524\/3907\/files\/ELAT.jpg?v=1790704862"},{"product_id":"hydrolat-1400","title":"Hydro-LAT 1400 - Carbon Cloth with Hydrophilic MPL","description":"\u003cp\u003eFuel Cells Etc’s Hydro-LAT 1400 is a carbon cloth based gas diffusion layer (GDL) with a high surface area carbon-based microporous layer on one side. Hydro-LAT GDL has been engineered to have excellent hydrophilic (i.e., completely wettable) microporous layer (MPL) properties for various electrochemical applications that demand hydrophilicity or wettability. Thickness is ~400-450 µm.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHydro-LAT 1400: Properties and Advantages\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCertain electrochemical devices demand that either the electrolyte component wets the electrode surface or the MPL retaining the by-product water to maintain the membrane's hydration, or any other relevant needs. These applications can also benefit from a high surface area MPL that is hydrophilic or wettable. All of the current commercially available GDLs with MPL have teflonization not only of the substrate, but also of the microporous layer. Presence of PTFE in the MPL limits the use of these high surface area gas diffusion layer products for such novel applications.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHydro-LAT 1400 gas diffusion layer is comprised of a carbon cloth base fabric and a hydrophilic MPL. In the MPL slurry, high surface area carbon black nanopowder is initially mixed with a hydrophilic binder and various other organic and aqueous solvents. The slurry is then coated on the base fabric. A second functionality of the proprietary hydrophilic binder is to facilitate the ionic conductivity through the entire MPL thickness since it is a functionalized material with excellent cation or proton conductivity. The hygroscopic nature of the binder brings an excellent wettability of the MPL section compared to any other commercial GDL products currently available. Hydrophilic MPL is coated only on one side of the substrate.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe above-mentioned features make Hydro-LAT ideally suitable for batteries containing aqueous or organic electrolytes, passive fuel cells that operate at extremely low current densities, electrochemical capacitors, supercapacitors, electrochemical sensors, and numerous other electrochemical devices.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt is not recommended to use this product in typical PEM fuel cells because the high degree of hydrophilicity will make it impossible to remove the by-product water away from the membrane\/catalyst interface and will result in flooding at the cathode or anode.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Fuel Cells Etc","offers":[{"title":"10 x 10","offer_id":49732630020355,"sku":"11070074","price":30.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"20 x 20","offer_id":49732630053123,"sku":"11070050","price":79.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"40 x 40","offer_id":49732630085891,"sku":"11070051","price":235.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0822\/6524\/3907\/files\/Hydrolat-1400-1.jpg?v=1790704867"},{"product_id":"hydrolat-2400","title":"Hydro-LAT 2400 - Carbon Cloth with Hydrophilic MPL","description":"\u003cp\u003eFuel Cells Etc’s Hydro-LAT 2400 is a carbon cloth based gas diffusion layer (GDL) with a high surface area carbon-based microporous layer on each side. Hydro-LAT GDL has been engineered to have excellent hydrophilic (i.e., completely wettable) microporous layer (MPL) for applications that demand hydrophilicity or wettability for various electrochemical or chemical reactions. Thickness is ~450-500 µm.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHydro-LAT 2400: Properties and Advantages\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCertain electrochemical devices demand that either the electrolyte component wets the electrode surface or the MPL retaining the by-product water to maintain the membrane's hydration, or any other relevant needs. These applications can also benefit from a high surface area MPL that is hydrophilic or wettable. All of the current commercially available GDLs with MPL have teflonization not only of the substrate, but also of the microporous layer. Presence of PTFE in the MPL limits the use of these high surface area gas diffusion layer products for such novel applications.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHydro-LAT 2400 gas diffusion layer is comprised of a carbon cloth base fabric and a hydrophilic MPL. In the MPL slurry, high surface area carbon black nanopowder is initially mixed with a hydrophilic binder and various other organic and aqueous solvents. The slurry is then coated on the base fabric. A second functionality of the proprietary hydrophilic binder is to facilitate the ionic conductivity through the entire MPL thickness since it is a functionalized material with excellent cation or proton conductivity. The hygroscopic nature of the binder brings an excellent wettability of the MPL section compared to any other commercial GDL products currently available. Hydrophilic MPL is coated on both sides of the substrate.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe above-mentioned features make Hydro-LAT ideally suitable for batteries containing aqueous or organic electrolytes, passive fuel cells that operate at extremely low current densities, electrochemical capacitors, supercapacitors, electrochemical sensors, and numerous other electrochemical devices.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt is not recommended to use this product in typical PEM fuel cells because the high degree of hydrophilicity will make it impossible to remove the by-product water away from the membrane\/catalyst interface and will result in flooding at the cathode or anode.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Fuel Cells Etc","offers":[{"title":"10 x 10","offer_id":49732630118659,"sku":"11070075","price":45.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"20 x 20","offer_id":49732630151427,"sku":"11070052","price":125.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"40 x 40","offer_id":49732630184195,"sku":"11070053","price":398.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0822\/6524\/3907\/files\/Hydrolat-2400-1.jpg?v=1790704869"}],"url":"https:\/\/fuelcellsetc.com\/collections\/gdl.oembed","provider":"Fuel Cells Etc","version":"1.0","type":"link"}