PENGARUH PENAMBAHAN GRAFIT TERHADAP LIMBAH INDUSTRI MILL SCALE UNTUK APLIKASI MATERIAL PELAT BIPOLAR PROTON EXCHANGE MEMBRANE FUEL CELL

Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell (PEMFC) is a promising alternative energy source using H2 and O2 as fuel. Bipolar plate is a PEMFC component that contributes to 80% volume, 70% weight, and 60% production costs. The waste produced by the steel industry in the form of mill scale waste if not managed properly can cause environmental problems. This is certainly not expected by both the company and the general public so that the mill scale waste that generated by PT. Krakatau Steel needs to be investigated whether it can be used as an raw material that can be used to be applied as bipolar plates or not, then how much the influence of graphite addition on mill scale to be applied as bipolar plate materials. The variations of graphite addition on mill scale were 3, 4 and 5 wt.%. The graphite addition was carried out in order to enhance its physical and mechanical properties. In this study, the process of mixing, milling, and printing or pressing was carried out using a pressure of 300 MPa for 2 minutes and sintering with a temperature of 1000 ° C for 1 hour. The results showed that bipolar plate samples with the addition of 5% wt graphite showed the best physical properties to be used as bipolar plate material with a density value of 1.21 gr / cm3, porosity value of 0.43% and an electrical conductivity value of 3.89 S / cm, and its hardness is 308.97 VHN.