Co-operation Profile

Seal spa a division of SAATIgroup Spa, designs and realizes a wide range of Gas Diffusion Medium (GDM) based on carbon fabric characterized by light-weight and low-thicknesses. Additionally a range of innovative fabric support layers based on different monofilament yarns are offered for low/high temperature PE membrane reinforcement application. Plasma treatments are used to engineer the surface and enhance the material properties. These material can be utilized as support for Alkaline Fuel cell and Proton Exchange membrane Fuel Cell to improve the lifetime of the membrane.

We are looking for Membrane, MEA, Stack, manufacturers and commercial partners (engineering companies, distributors) with interest to support us in the integration of our materials into FC components and Stacks. Our company can provide engineering support and manufacturing capabilities to make custom oriented GDM materials suitable for any fuel cell stack design. We can study and realize different GDMs, by designing yarn structures, weaving configuration of the fabric, innovative surface treatments and coating with highly conductive micro-porous layers to obtain desired mechanical, electrical properties and an effective two phase flow management between the cathode catalyst layer and the gas diffusion layer. Eco-friendly processes are used to realize our products. The standard Gas Diffusion Layer (GDL) produced by Seal is a fabric based on weaved spun carbon fibers technology already co-designed with different application users to optimize the overall throughput of the MEA. In the laboratories Seal carries out intensive characterization tests to simulate mechanical, fluid-dynamic, electrical and electrochemical properties of the materials with different MEA configurations. Several users have already tested these materials for PEMFC and DMFC applications. Seal is already treating the surface of the GDL with an innovative hydrophobic plasma based treatment (patent pending PTC/IT2005/000297), jointly designed with the Centre of Excellence Plasma Prometeo of the University Milano-Bicocca. Traditional coatings based on PTFE from 5% to 30% loading are alternatively offered for hydrophobic treatments. A wide range of innovative thin fabric support layer based on PET and PEEK monofilament yarns are also produced; the fabric is treated by plasma to activate and etch the surface of the material; this process allows to modify uniformly and permanently the wettability and the bonding strength between the support layer and the ionomer resin. This micro-reinforcement improves the mechanical properties of ion exchange membrane films.