The market space for gas diffusion layer (GDL) is huge and the core competitiveness of local enterprises needs to be improved.

The gas diffusion layer (GDL) is usually located between the electrode and the bipolar plate of the fuel cell. It collects current, conducts gas, discharges reaction product water, and supports and stabilizes the electrode structure. The gas diffusion layer needs to have good chemical stability, thermal stability, electrical conductivity and mechanical strength. There are many base materials for gas diffusion layers, including non-woven fabrics, carbon fiber paper, carbon black paper, and carbon fiber woven fabrics. Carbon fiber paper is an ideal base material for gas diffusion layers. It has a uniform porous thin layer structure. It uses graphitized carbon fiber as the raw material and has better electrical conductivity.

The preparation process of the gas diffusion layer is relatively complicated. It is necessary to first immerse the carbon paper in the polytetrafluoroethylene emulsion and bake it in a muffle furnace to remove the surfactant contained in the polytetrafluoroethylene emulsion to achieve the hydrophobic effect. Mix a certain amount of carbon powder, polytetrafluoroethylene and an appropriate amount of isopropyl alcohol aqueous solution, brush it onto the hydrophobic treated carbon paper, bake it, and finally prepare the gas diffusion layer. At present, the gas diffusion layer preparation process of major companies around the world is basically the same. The front-end carbon paper preparation process includes carbon fiber weaving, wet method and dry method.

According to the “2022-2027 China Gas Diffusion Layer Industry Market Monitoring and Future Development Prospects Research Report released by the Industrial Research Center , the development of the gas diffusion layer industry is related to the fuel cell market demand. Benefiting from national policy support, the prosperity of my country’s fuel cell vehicle industry continues to improve. According to statistics from the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers, my country’s fuel cell vehicle sales in 2021 will be 1,586.0 units, a year-on-year increase of 34.2%. Against this background, my country’s fuel cell installed capacity continues to increase. In 2021, my country’s fuel cell system installed capacity will be 226.7MW, a year-on-year increase of 171.2%. Driven by market demand, the development space of my country’s gas diffusion layer industry continues to expand.

Global gas diffusion layer manufacturers are mainly concentrated in the United States, Germany and Japan, including American AvCarb, German SGL SGL and Japanese Toray. Among them, German SGL and Japanese Toray occupy nearly 65.0% of the global market share. my country’s gas diffusion layer industry started late, and the core process of carbon paper preparation is monopolized by leading overseas companies, resulting in the slow progress of localization of my country’s gas diffusion layer. At present, most of my country’s gas diffusion layer companies are in the research and development stage, including Shanghai Huayi, Wuhan Green Hydrogen Energy, Jiangsu Tianniao, Shenzhen General Hydrogen Energy, China Hydrogen Technology, etc.

Industry analysts said that the gas diffusion layer is a key component of fuel cells. In recent years, the prosperity of my country’s fuel cell vehicle industry has continued to increase. As market demand continues to be released, the development prospects of my country’s gas diffusion layer industry will continue to improve in the future. However, at present, my country’s gas diffusion layer market is monopolized by overseas companies, and local companies urgently need to strengthen their research and development capabilities to accelerate the localization process of my country’s gas diffusion layer.