An aqueous binder composition for mineral fibres comprises a water-soluble binder component obtainable by reacting glycerol and at least one alkanolamine with at least one carboxylic anhydride in proportions such that the ratio of equivalents of amine groups plus hydroxy groups (NH+OH) to equivalents of carboxy groups (COOH) in the binder component is within the range of about 0.4 to 2.0, glycerol being used in an amount such that the equivalent ratio of glycerol OH groups to total equivalents of amine groups plus hydroxy groups (NH+OH) is 0.1 to 0.9, and, optionally, treating the reaction product with a base.

A molded article contains inorganic powder as a main component and further contains inorganic fiber, organic fiber, a thermosetting resin, and heat expandable particles, the heat expandable particles being present in an amount of 0.5% to 10% by mass based on the total mass of the inorganic powder, the inorganic fiber, the organic fiber, the thermosetting resin, and the heat expandable particles. The inorganic powder is preferably graphite. The inorganic fiber is preferably carbon fiber. The organic fiber is preferably pulp fiber. The thermosetting resin is preferably a phenol resin.

A method of manufacturing a separator for a polymer electrolyte fuel cell in which the specific resistance is small, and the coefficient of thermal conductivity and the gas shielding property are high and have high strength. The sintering material comprises a phenol resin coated to the surface of a powder of carbon, and the plate is a metallic plate having plating on both surfaces. After the metallic plate is arranged in a mold provided with grooves, the sintering material is filled to both sides of the metallic plate, and then they are heated and sintered. The separator for a fuel cell becomes homogeneous, and, as a result, the gas shielding property rises with high strength, because phenol resin has been uniformly distributed in the sintering material. Moreover, because oxides are not generated on the surfaces of the separator by sintering, the specific resistance will be relatively small.

This method for producing a plastic material part (10), comprises at least a reinforcing element (12) made of at least one fibrous insert (20) made of a composite material, using an injection mold (26) comprising a first part (28) and a second part (30) defining between them a molding cavity (38) having the shape of the plastic material part (10) to be produced, said method comprising the steps of:

- transporting and placing the reinforcing element (12) onto the first part (28) of the injection mold (26) using a manipulating tool (40),

- shaping the fibrous insert (20) into the reinforcing element (12),

- injecting a plastic material into the mold (26) such that the reinforcing element (12) is overmolded by the plastic material and the plastic material part (10) is produced,



wherein the manipulating tool (40) comprises at least one shaping area (42) having the shape of one side of the reinforcing element (12), the fibrous insert (20) being placed in said shaping area (42) during the transportation of the fibrous insert (20) to the first part (28) of the mold (26) and being shaped into the reinforcing element (12) by said shaping area (42) and said first part of the mold (28) when said insert (20) is transported or/and is placed onto the first part (28) of the injection mold (26).

Disclosed is a method for manufacturing gas cylinders. The disclosed method for manufacturing gas cylinders comprises: a) a step of producing a liner using a liner blower machine; b) a step of applying an adhesive to the threads of the produced liner; c) a step of coupling a bushing to the threads of the liner; d) a step of leaving the liner having undergone step c) for 30 minutes to 2 hours at room temperature so as to naturally harden the adhesive; e) a liner-flaming step of heat-treating the outer surface of the liner with plasma; f) a step of coupling a shaft to the liner; g) a winding step of mixing multiple fiberglass strands with a resin and a hardening agent, and wrapping the mixture around the outer surface of the liner; h) a dry-hardening step of drying the cylinder made of the composite material and having undergone the winding step for 70 to 90 minutes at a temperature of 70°C to 90°C; i) a cooling step of leaving the cylinder made of the composite material for 15 to 40 minutes at room temperature so as to lower the surface temperature of the cylinder having undergone the dry-hardening step to a level of 35°C or lower; j) a step of separating the shaft from the cylinder made of the composite material; k) a step of assembling a valve to the bushing installed in the cylinder made of the composite material; and l) a step of checking the state of the gas cylinder including the cylinder made of the composite material.

In order to attain excellent electrical conductivity and molding processability, a fuel cell separator to be produced by performing press molding on a preform in which expanded graphite is used as the main raw material is improved so that the preform is produced by a papermaking method, whereby the characteristics of the mechanical strength, the flexibility, and the gas impermeability are improved, and a light and compact configuration that is preferred in the automobile use or the like can be realized. In a fuel cell separator which is to be produced by performing press molding on a preform 14 that is formed into a plate-like shape, with a molding die, therefore, the preform 14 is configured into a sandwich structure where a second sheet 14B in which a phenol resin is applied to graphite is interposed between a pair of first sheets 14A made by impregnating a sheet-like member with a phenol resin, the sheet-like member being obtained by a papermaking process using a raw material in which a fibrous filler is added to expanded graphite.