High Performance · High Stability · Designed for Fuel Cells and Electrolyzers
📌 Product Overview
SGL hydrophobic microporous carbon paper (Gas Diffusion Layer, GDL) is manufactured from PAN-based carbon fiber paper with a single-side Microporous Layer (MPL) and a PTFE hydrophobic treatment (5 wt%).
The bilayer structure combines excellent electrical conductivity and mechanical robustness with outstanding water management capability. It prevents electrode flooding and enhances the durability of Membrane Electrode Assemblies (MEAs), making it an ideal choice for Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells (PEMFCs) and Proton Exchange Membrane Electrolyzers (PEMECs).
👉 A cost-effective and more stable alternative to conventional woven carbon paper GDLs.
🌟 Key Advantages
Superior Water Management: PTFE treatment, contact angle >130°, effectively prevents flooding
High Surface Flatness: Significantly reduces roll defects, ensuring uniform electrode contact
Stable Electrical Performance: Low resistivity for efficient electron transport
Excellent Mechanical Properties: High compressive and bending strength, long-term durability
Multiple Thickness Options: Suitable for automotive, portable, and stationary PEMFCs as well as PEMECs
Maintains stable operation of both anode and cathode electrodes
⚗️ How to Apply Pt/C Catalyst onto SGL Carbon Paper (PEMFC Application)
SGL hydrophobic microporous carbon papers (22BB / 28BC / 36BB / 39BB) can be used as substrates for preparing Gas Diffusion Electrodes (GDEs) by depositing Pt/C catalyst layers. Below is a recommended procedure:
Sonicate the ink for 30–60 min until fully dispersed.
2. Substrate Preparation
Cut SGL carbon paper to the required electrode size.
Ensure the Microporous Layer (MPL) side faces upward (catalyst deposition side).
Optionally pre-treat with mild plasma or ethanol wash to improve adhesion.
3. Catalyst Layer Deposition
Spray coating: Use an airbrush/spray gun to uniformly apply catalyst ink onto the MPL side.
Maintain spraying distance: 10–15 cm
Substrate temperature: ~60–80 °C (hotplate or IR lamp) to promote solvent evaporation
Apply multiple thin layers rather than a single thick coat to ensure uniformity.
4. Drying & Heat Treatment
After deposition, dry electrodes at 80 °C for 1 h to remove solvents.
Optional: Heat at 130–140 °C under vacuum for 1–2 h to improve ionomer distribution.
5. Electrode Assembly
Place the catalyst-coated carbon paper against the Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) with the catalyst layer facing the membrane.
Hot-press the MEA (Membrane Electrode Assembly) at ~130 °C, 1–2 MPa, for 2–3 min.
⚡ Result: The Pt/C-coated SGL carbon paper functions as a Gas Diffusion Electrode (GDE), ensuring excellent gas transport, water management, and proton/electron conductivity in PEMFCs.
36 BB develops and commercializes carbon-based products for Polymer-Electrolyte-Membrane Fuel Cells (PEFC):
- Gas Diffusion Layers (GDL)
- Foils used as separator plates for fuel cells and redox-flow batteries (Expanded Graphite)
GDLs are typically designed as a bilayer structure consisting of a macro-porous backing material (carbon fiber paper support) and a micro-porous, carbon-based layer (MPL). The fibrous backing material governs the mechanical properties of the GDL (behavior upon compression, bending and shear strength, etc.) while the MPL ensures intimate contact to the catalyst layers, protects the delicate proton exchange membrane against perforation and plays an active role with respect to the water management in the cell during operation. There is consensus that this heterogeneous porosity brought about by this structure (hydrophilic/hydrophobic and various pore sizes) is advantageous for the performance.
Sketch of the bilayer structure of Gas Diffusion Layers
Hydrophobic properties in the backing and the MPL are maintained by adding defined amounts of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) to both sublayers. Various types of carbon particles (carbon blacks, graphite) can be used in the MPL in order to produce different levels of hydrophobicity. Furthermore, the MPL can be used as substrate to deposit catalyst particles for the manufacture of gas diffusion electrodes (GDEs).
SC has been producing fully-treated gas diffusion layers by reel-to-reel processes since 1999. Carbon paper-type (prepared by wet-laying of chopped PAN-based carbon fibers) gas diffusion layers are the preferred solution since they can be manufactured at high volumes (scalability) and low thickness. The following figures show the whole value chain of GDL manufacturing. All commercially available GDL materials to date are based on carbon fibers derived from polyacrylonitrile (PAN). PAN (co)polymers are processed into precursor fibers by wet-spinning. Subsequent stabilization and pyrolysis yields high tensile (HT) carbon fibers which are sized and chopped to enable suitable processing by means of papermaking technologies.
Carbon Fiber Production
Manufacturing of chopped carbon fibers
A primary carbon fiber web is laid by a papermaking technology and subsequent thermobonding. Thereafter, the obtained raw paper is impregnated with carbonisable thermoset resins (with optional addition of carbon fillers), cured and re-carbonized/graphitized. This serves to enhance the mechanical stability and conductivity as well as to adjust the desired porosity level.
Carbon Paper Substrate
Manufacturing route of (carbon paper-based) gas diffusion layer backings
Finishing of GDL comprises hydrophobic treatment of the substrate with PTFE and coating with a microporous layer (MPL).
Finishing Treatment
Finishing treatments of (carbon paper-based) gas diffusion layers
A loading of the substrate with 5% (w/w) PTFE has proven to be sufficient for obtaining a pronounced hydrophobicity. MPLs typically contain 20 to 25% PTFE. This MPL composition has been identified as the optimum ratio for PEMFC performance across a broad range of operating conditions. Mean pore diameters of GDLs are typically in a range from 0.1 to 0.3 μm (Hg-Porosimetry) or 1.5 to 3 μm (calculated from capillary flow porometry). The hydrophobic treatment produces water repellent properties for the substrate and for the MPL (water contact angles by sessile drop method > 130°).
The bipolar membrane (Fumasep FBM) in this paper was purchased from SCI Materials Hub, which was used in rechargeable Zn-CO2 battery tests. The authors reported a strain relaxation strategy to determine lattice strains in bimetal MNi alloys (M = Pd, Ag, and Au) and realized an outstanding CO2-to-CO Faradaic efficiency of 96.6% with outstanding activity and durability toward a Zn-CO2 battery.
In this paper, Vulcan XC-72R was purchased from SCI Materials Hub. Vulcan XC 72R carbon is the most common catalyst support used in the anode and cathode electrodes of Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cells (PEMFC), Direct Methanol Fuel Cells (DMFC), Alkaline Fuel Cells (AFC), Microbial Fuel Cells (MFC), Phosphoric Acid Fuel Cells (PAFC), and many more!
An AEM membrane (Sustainion X37-50 Grade RT, purchased from SCI Materials Hub) was activated in 1 M KOH for 24 h, washed with ultra-purity water prior to use.
In this paper (Supporting Information), an anion exchanged membrane (Fumasep FAB-PK-130 obtained from SCI Materials Hub (www.scimaterials.cn)) was used to separate the catholyte and anolyte chambers.
SCI Materials Hub: we also recommend our Fumasep FAB-PK-75 for the use in a flow cell.
Carbon paper (TGPH060), membrane solution (Nafion D520), and ionic membrane (Nafion N117) were obtained from Wuhu Eryi Material Technology Co., Ltd (a company under SCI Materials Hub).
Graphene oxide (GO) in this paper was obtained from SCI Materials Hub. The authors introduced a Janus Fe3C/N-CNF@RGO electrode consisting of 1D Fe3C decorated N-doped carbon nanofibers (Fe3C/N-CNFs) side and 2D reduced graphene oxide (RGO) side as the free-standing carrier of Li2S6 catholyte to improve the overall electrochemical performance of Li-S batteries.
In this paper, carbon cloth (W0S1011) was obtained from SCI Materials Hub. The flexible carbon cloth matrix guaranteed the stabilization of the electrode and improved the conductivity of the cathode.
The 20 wt% Pt3M (M = Cr, Co, Cu, Pd, Sn, and Ir) were purchased from SCI Materials Hub. This work places emphasis on the kinetics of the ORR concerning Pt3M (M = Cr, Co, Cu, Pd, Sn, and Ir) catalysts, and integrates theoretical prognostication and experimental validation to illuminate the fundamental principles of alloy engineering.
An Au nanoparticle film was deposited on the total reflecting plane of a single reflection ATR crystal (SCI Materials Hub, Wuhu, China) via sputter coater.
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