30nm Gold-Plated Porous Titanium Plate for PEM Electrolyzer

30nm Gold-Plated Porous Titanium Plate for PEM Electrolyzer

TOPTITECH’s 30nm Gold-Plated Porous Titanium Plate for PEM Electrolyzer delivers exceptional electrochemical stability by combining titanium’s structural integrity with gold’s catalytic surface properties. Unlike untreated titanium, which forms insulating oxide layers under high-pressure oxygen environments, the conformal gold coating prevents TiO? passivation while maintaining ultralow interfacial contact resistance. The precisely controlled 30nm Au layer ensures full pore penetration through advanced electrodeposition techniques, achieving uniform conductivity across the three-dimensional porous network without compromising gas diffusion efficiency. Gold’s inherent corrosion resistance in acidic/alkaline electrolytes eliminates performance degradation from oxidative dissolution, a critical advantage over non-noble metal coatings.

The gold-plated titanium substrate exhibits superior electron transfer kinetics compared to bare or other MMO alternatives, minimizing ohmic losses at the bipolar plate interface. Its dual-sided coating architecture enables symmetrical current distribution while the open porous structure maintains optimal water/oxygen transport. The metallurgical bond between gold and the titanium base material ensures long-term adhesion even under thermal cycling conditions, making it ideal for renewable hydrogen production systems requiring decades of maintenance-free operation.

Specifications

Material: GR1 titanium

Size: 100*100mm

Thickness: 1mm

Pore size: 10-20um

Gold-plated thickness: 30nm

Coating technique: PVD

Features

Passivation Resistance? - The conformal gold coating effectively blocks titanium oxide formation even under high-pressure oxygen environments, maintaining consistent electrical conductivity throughout operational cycles

Optimized Current Distribution? - Dual-sided gold deposition enables uniform electron transfer across the entire electrode surface while preserving the open porous structure for efficient gas/liquid transport

Corrosion Immunity? - Gold's noble metal properties provide exceptional stability against acidic/alkaline electrolyte degradation, outperforming nickel or copper-based coatings in PEM electrolyzer conditions

Interfacial Efficiency? - The metallurgically bonded gold-titanium interface demonstrates lower contact resistance compared to conventional bipolar plate materials, minimizing ohmic losses in stack assemblies

Structural Integrity? - The precisely controlled 30nm coating thickness maintains the original titanium substrate's mechanical strength while achieving complete pore penetration for three-dimensional conductivity

Thermal Compatibility? - Coefficient of thermal expansion matching between gold and titanium prevents delamination during temperature cycling, ensuring long-term adhesion in dynamic operating conditions

Applications in PEM electrolyzer

Anode Current Collector Optimization

Serves as corrosion-resistant backing layer for membrane electrode assemblies (MEAs)

Maintains stable interfacial contact resistance during high-current-density operation

Enables thinner catalyst layers through enhanced current distribution

Bipolar Plate Surface Modification

Replaces conventional graphite or stainless steel flow fields

Gold-titanium composite withstands anode-side oxygen evolution conditions

Microporous architecture facilitates bubble detachment from catalyst sites

Thermal Management Component

Conducts heat uniformly across active areas during transient operations

Metallic substrate prevents hot spot formation in megawatt-scale stacks

Compatible with press-fit cooling channel integration

Hybrid Water Splitting Systems

Bridges proton exchange membranes with alkaline environments

Gold coating prevents pH-dependent titanium passivation

Enables modular stack designs for hybrid electrolysis configurations

Dynamic Load Cycling Applications

Withstands frequent startup/shutdown cycles in renewable-powered systems

Minimal performance decay during intermittent operation

Outperforms carbon-based materials in durability testing

Performance Advantages Over Conventional Materials

The gold-titanium composite demonstrates superior stability in accelerated stress tests simulating decade-long operation. Its open pore structure achieves 20% higher gas evacuation efficiency than sintered metal alternatives while preventing catalyst flooding. The material's plasticity allows laser welding integration into commercial stack architectures without precious metal depletion.

Technical comparison between gold-plated and platinum-plated porous titanium plates for electrolyzer applications:

Catalytic Activity?

Platinum demonstrates superior hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) kinetics while gold shows better oxygen evolution reaction (OER) stability

Platinum coatings degrade through Ostwald ripening whereas gold maintains nanoparticle dispersion

Oxidation Resistance?

Gold provides complete passivation prevention while platinum forms conductive oxide layers

Platinum requires thicker coatings to prevent substrate exposure in acidic media

Interfacial Properties?

Gold-titanium interfaces exhibit lower contact resistance than platinum-titanium junctions

Platinum shows stronger adhesion but higher susceptibility to delamination during thermal cycling

Durability Mechanisms?

Gold resists electrochemical dissolution but shows lower mechanical wear resistance

Platinum withstands abrasive wear better but suffers from carbon corrosion in hybrid systems