Acrylic resin-impregnated bodies formed of expanded graphite, process for producing such bodies and sealing elements, fuel cell components and heat-conducting elements formed of the bodies

Abstract

Bodies made of expanded graphite are impregnated with low-viscosity, solvent-free, storage-stable, polymerizing acrylic resins up to resin contents of 50% by weight. A primary product made of expanded graphite has an open pore system, with a particularly preferred range of bulk densities of from 0.5 to 1.3 g / cm.sup.3 and with an ash value of not more than 4% by weight. Such bodies can also contain a proportion of additives. The impregnated, shaped and rapidly curable graphite bodies are employed as sealing elements, as components in fuel cells or as heat-conducting elements. A process for producing the bodies is also provided.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention

[0002] The invention relates to a synthetic resin-impregnated body made of expanded or at least partially recompressed expanded graphite, a process for producing such a body and sealing elements, fuel cell components and heat-conducting elements formed of the bodies. In this contest, the phrase "synthetic resin-impregnated body" is understood to mean a body made of expanded graphite which is impregnated by synthetic resin.

[0003] Material composites of graphite and plastics are widely used in many technical applications. For example, particles of electrographite are processed with fluoroplastics into highly corrosion-resistant components for the construction of chemical apparatus, but they are comparatively expensive due to the costs of the fluoroplastics and the processing technique required. A subject which in terms of content is even closer to the present application is set out in U.S. Pat. No. 4,265,952: expanded graphite...