Carbon Foam Sheet for Flow Battery, Electrolyzer, and Fuel Cell, CFBEFCCFOS

Carbon foam is a rigid, 3D skeletal structure with an open-cell architecture (97% void volume). 

(1) In Redox Flow Batteries (RFB), carbon foam acts as a high-surface-area 3D electrode or current collector. Unlike felt, carbon foam does not compress or "slump" over time. This maintains consistent flow channels and prevents the "channeling" effect where electrolyte misses parts of the electrode. Moreover, carbon "ligaments" are interconnected in a continuous 3D path, electron transport is often more efficient than in the random fiber-to-fiber contact of felt.

(2) In electrolyzer application field, carbon foam serves as a Porous Transport Layer (PTL). The open, rigid cells allow hydrogen and oxygen bubbles to escape quickly. In felt, bubbles can get trapped in the tight fiber weave, "blinding" the electrode and increasing resistance. Carbon foam’s rigidity prevents the electrode from deforming under these pressures, maintaining a steady electrical contact with the bipolar plates.

(3) In fuel cell application field, carbon foam is often a candidate for the Gas Diffusion Layer (GDL) or as a support for catalysts. Carbon foam’s large, uniform pores allow liquid water to be pushed out more easily than the dense structure of carbon paper or felt.