Among the possible processes for hydrogen production, proton exchange membrane electrolysis (PEM) has established itself as an efficient method. Titanium is used as the base material for the components, especially the bipolar plates. It is durable enough to withstand the demanding conditions of PEM electrolysis, while also helping to maintain conductivity and adapt to high-pressure environments.
Platinum coating improves performance
On the BPL side, platinum improves the performance of electrolysers many times over. This is because it acts as a catalyst and increases the efficiency of the electrochemical reactions. It enables a superior electrical potential for the PTL and helps to reduce the amount of energy required for water splitting.
Generate adhesion for platinum
Titanium is a refractory metal that forms corrosion-resistant oxide layers at room temperature. This property makes platinum deposition on BPL and PTL made of titanium more difficult. For this reason, highly corrosive or toxic chemicals such as hydrofluoric acid are traditionally used for plating in order to break down the passive oxide layers that form on titanium and generate sufficient adhesion for platinum.
Non-hazardous platinization possible
Umicore has developed an electrochemical deposition process that makes the use of hazardous chemicals for platinum plating superfluous. With Umicore's platinum coating, even very thin, homogeneous platinum layers can be deposited with high precision on titanium components. Due to their matrix state, these platinum layers achieve the best possible electron conductivity and therefore outstanding efficiency. In addition, an optimum layer thickness distribution is guaranteed for the respective system. This helps to reduce the use of precious metals and therefore the costs involved compared to previous coating processes.