April 7, 2025
Why Can Plasma-Sprayed Nickel Mesh Enhance Hydrogen Production Efficiency?
Against the background of the growing global demand for clean energy, hydrogen has garnered significant attention as an ideal clean energy source. Water electrolysis is currently a key industrial method for hydrogen production, and during this process, the performance of electrodes fundamentally impacts hydrogen production efficiency.
Among these, improving the performance of nickel mesh electrodes has become a focal point in industry research, with plasma-sprayed porous nickel mesh technology demonstrating unique advantages in this field.
Principles of Hydrogen Production via Water Electrolysis
Hydrogen production through water electrolysis essentially refers to the process of water ionization and recombination under an electric current in an alkaline electrolyte environment.
In practical industrial hydrogen production operations, an external DC power supply is applied to the electrolyzer. Under suitable conditions such as electrolyte concentration (typically potassium hydroxide or sodium hydroxide solution), temperature, and pressure, the electrode reactions are driven to proceed continuously, enabling large-scale water splitting to produce hydrogen.
Moreover, to improve hydrogen production efficiency, industries also optimize the structural design of the electrolyzer, the selection of electrode materials, and electrolysis process parameters (such as current density and electrolyte flow rate).
For example, using electrode materials with high catalytic activity (such as specially treated nickel mesh electrodes) can reduce the activation energy of the reaction and accelerate the electrode reaction rate. A reasonable electrolyte flow rate helps remove generated gases and heat, maintaining a stable environment within the electrolyzer, thereby enhancing the overall efficiency of the hydrogen production process.
How Does Plasma-Sprayed Nickel Mesh Improve Hydrogen Production Efficiency?
1 Increased Adsorption Surface Area
In traditional hydrogen production, nickel mesh plays a critical role as a hydrogen evolution cathode. To enhance its performance, a nickel-aluminum alloy is first sprayed onto the nickel mesh surface, which is then treated with a concentrated sodium hydroxide solution.
The aluminum reacts with the sodium hydroxide and dissolves, leaving behind numerous micropores. This three-dimensional microporous structure significantly increases the adsorption surface area of the nickel mesh. According to electrochemical principles, a larger adsorption surface area provides more active sites for the reaction. During water electrolysis, more water molecules can adsorb onto the electrode surface, thereby accelerating the reaction rate.
2 Facilitating Oxygen Release
In alkaline water electrolysis, if the oxygen generated at the anode cannot be released promptly, it forms a barrier layer on the electrode surface, inhibiting subsequent electrolysis reactions. The microporous characteristics of the coating structure formed by plasma-sprayed porous nickel mesh facilitate the release and dispersion of oxygen generated during electrolysis. This prevents oxygen accumulation on the electrode surface, improving the overall efficiency of the electrolysis process.
3 Strong Bonding Strength and Stability
Unlike conventional techniques that coat metal or ceramic layers on nickel mesh surfaces, the structure formed by plasma-sprayed porous nickel mesh technology exhibits superior stability. Before plasma spraying, the substrate surface undergoes sandblasting, which activates the nickel mesh substrate surface, enhancing the bonding strength between layers. This ensures the structural integrity of the electrode and guarantees long-term stable operation during actual water electrolysis for hydrogen production.
4 Reduced Internal Resistance
After spraying the nickel-aluminum alloy coating on the nickel mesh surface, its surface area and roughness are significantly improved. The larger adsorption surface area and favorable microstructure also help reduce the electrode’s internal resistance. According to Ohm’s Law, in water electrolysis for hydrogen production, lower internal resistance means a smaller voltage drop, enabling higher electrolysis efficiency with lower energy consumption.
Process Improvements in Plasma-Sprayed Porous Nickel Mesh
1 Nickel Mesh Substrate Treatment
Due to the flexible wire mesh structure of nickel mesh, conventional coating methods often lead to overall curling, unevenness, and poor adhesion between the coating and the substrate. Therefore, nickel mesh is typically sandblasted before spraying.
Specific sandblasting conditions activate the substrate surface, which not only enhances the bonding strength between the coating and the substrate during subsequent spraying but also helps maintain the overall flatness of the nickel mesh structure.
2 Optimization of Plasma Spraying Parameters
When plasma spraying nickel mesh, parameters such as spraying distance, spraying current, and powder feed rate must be strictly controlled. Industrially common parameters include
spraying distance of 90–130 mm,
spraying current of 510–570 A,
powder feed rate of 1–7 r/min.
Precise control of these parameters ensures that the material deposited on the nickel mesh substrate is in a fully or semi-molten state, guaranteeing strong adhesion between the substrate and the coating layer. It also prevents substrate deformation caused by uneven or excessive heating, extending the service life of the nickel mesh and indirectly improving hydrogen production efficiency.
Conclusion
In summary, plasma-sprayed porous nickel mesh technology optimizes the structure of nickel mesh electrodes, enhancing adsorption surface area, oxygen release, bonding strength, and internal resistance. Process improvements further ensure electrode stability and service life, effectively boosting the efficiency of industrial water electrolysis for hydrogen production. It provides robust technical support for the development of clean energy.
NHGT is a professional supplier of Raney nickel-coated mesh. We’ve provided technical and physical support to many institutes, laboratories, and electrolyzer producers. If you’re looking for nickel meshes for your energy projects, please feel free to contact us for any inquiries.
