Research on the Performance Characteristics and Applications of Toray Carbon Paper

Carbon Paper as a type of carbon fiber composite material with excellent performance, shows broad application prospects in the electrochemical field. This paper systematically expounds the key physical, chemical, and thermodynamics performance parameters of Toray Carbon Paper series products, focuses on the structural characteristics and performance advantages of the TGP-T-060 model carbon paper, and analyzes its application potential in electrochemical devices such as fuel cells, electrolyzers, and batteries. It provides references for material selection and technical optimization in related fields.

1. Basic Performance Parameters of Toray Carbon Paper Series Products

Toray Carbon Paper has a multi-model product system, and different models exhibit differentiated characteristics in key parameters such as thickness, air permeability, and porosity. The specific performances are as follows:

1.1 Core Physical and Structural Parameters

l Thickness: The thickness of the series products covers specifications such as 0.11mm, 0.19mm, 0.28mm, and 0.37mm, meeting the assembly and application requirements in different scenarios.

l Porosity: The porosity of each model product remains at a high level of 78%-80%, and the porosity of some models can reach 80%, providing sufficient channels for mass transfer.

l High Density: The high density of the products is uniformly 0.40g/cm³-0.44g/cm³, which combines lightweight characteristics and structural stability.

l Gas Permeability: The gas permeability ranges from 1500ml·mm/(cm·hr·mmAq) to 2500ml·mm/(cm·hr·mmAq), showing regular fluctuations with the change of models, and can be adapted to scenarios with different mass transfer rate requirements.

1.2 Electrical and Thermodynamic Performance

l Power Resistance Value: The power resistance value in the thickness direction is 80mΩ·cm, showing stable longitudinal electrical conductivity; the power resistance value in the one-sided direction is between 4.7mΩ·cm and 5.8mΩ·cm, with good transverse electrical conductivity, which provides a guarantee for electron transfer in electrochemical reactions.

l Thermal Conductivity: At room temperature, the thermal conductivity in the single direction is 21W/(m·K); at a high temperature of 100℃, the thermal conductivity in the single direction increases to 23W/(m·K); the thermal conductivity in the thickness direction is 1.7W/(m·K). The excellent thermal conductivity can effectively alleviate the local temperature rise problem during the operation of electrochemical devices.

2. Special Performance and Application Advantages of TGP-T-060 Model Carbon Paper

2.1 Structural and Composition Characteristics

As a representative product in the Toray Carbon Paper series, TGP-T-060 adopts carbon fiber composite paper as the substrate, and a microporous layer (MPL) is coated on the surface to form a composite structure. Among them, the thickness of the carbon paper substrate is 190μm, the thickness of the microporous layer is 60μm, and the total thickness of the product is approximately 250μm. The structural design takes both mechanical support and mass transfer efficiency into account. In terms of material modification, the carbon paper substrate is treated with PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene), with a PTFE content of approximately 8%-9%, and the PTFE content of the microporous layer reaches 33%-35%. The double-layer PTFE modification endows the product with excellent hydrophobic performance and structural stability.

2.2 Performance Advantages and Application Scenarios

l Cost Advantage: Through its composite structure design and preparation process optimization, TGP-T-060 has become a low-cost alternative to traditional woven carbon cloth Gas Diffusion Layer (GDL) materials. While reducing the manufacturing cost of devices, it can maintain similar application performance.

l Strong Adaptability: This product is specifically suitable for fuel cells, electrolyzers, batteries, and various electrochemical devices, and is used as a catalyst backing layer. Its reasonable pore structure, stable electrical and thermal conductivity, and good hydrophobic properties can meet the core requirements of electron conduction, mass transfer, and interface stability in electrochemical reactions, and provide key material support for the efficient and long-term operation of devices

Carbon Paper series products have become one of the preferred materials in the electrochemical field due to their diverse performance parameters, stable structural characteristics, and reliable application performance. Among  them, the TGP-T-060 model carbon paper achieves a good balance between cost control, hydrophobic performance, and mass transfer efficiency through the coordinated design of the substrate and the microporous layer, providing a feasible material solution for the large-scale application of electrochemical devices such as fuel cells. In the future, with the continuous development of electrochemical technology, Toray Carbon Paper still has great potential in performance optimization and application expansion, and is expected to provide more powerful material support for technological breakthroughs in related fields.