Researchers at Austria’s TU Wien have found that a much thinner platinum coating could protect components used in hydrogen production. It can potentially reduce the amount of the precious metal needed for these protective layers by around 88%.
The experiments examined platinum-coated titanium bipolar plates used in proton exchange membrane (PEM) water electrolysis.
Under the conditions studied, a coating just 24 nanometers thick remained largely intact and retained good electrical conductivity after electrochemical stress.
The findings point to a possible way to reduce equipment costs. However, the researchers cautioned that the optimal thickness depends on factors including how the coating is manufactured and how uniformly it covers the surface.
Why hydrogen equipment needs platinum
Water electrolysis uses electricity to split water into hydrogen and oxygen. At one electrode, the process produces oxygen, positively charged hydrogen ions (protons), and electrons.
The protons pass through a membrane to the second electrode, where they combine with electrons to form hydrogen. Keeping the equipment operational in this environment is more complicated than the basic reaction suggests.
“Electrolysis creates a chemical environment that is damaging to many metallic components. Metal can dissolve, while oxide layers can form at the same time and impede the flow of electric current,” explained Helmut Riedl-Tragenreif from the Institute of Materials Science and Technology at TU Wien.
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These plates support the equipment mechanically, conduct electricity, and help transport water and gases. Titanium resists corrosion well, but an oxide layer forms on its surface and obstructs electrical current.
A thinplatinum coatingaddresses that problem by conducting electricity while protecting the titanium underneath.
A thinner coating survives the tests
The TU Wien team systematically investigated how thick that protective layer needs to be. A 24-nanometer coating proved sufficient under the conditions tested, while an eight-nanometer layer showed clear problems.
Compared with a 200-nanometer coating of the kind currently used in industry, the successful thinner layer represents a potential reduction of around 88% in platinum consumption for the protective coating.
The researchers also examined whether the coatings remained resistant after electrochemical stress, rather than assessing only their initial performance.
“We analyzed the coatings before and after electrochemical stress using high-resolution methods. One particularly important question is whether microscopic defects develop in the coating,” said Riedl-Tragenreif.
Small defects can accelerate damage
A defect in the platinum layer can expose the titanium below to attack. The titanium oxidizes, and small oxygen bubbles may form at the interface, creating mechanical stresses that further damage the coating.
As larger sections detach, more titanium becomes exposed, allowing the damage to accelerate.
The eight-nanometer coating showed clear indications of this process. After electrochemical stress, researchers observed larger defects and found that significantly more titanium and platinum ions had entered the electrolyte.
The 24-nanometer coating remained largely intact, maintained good conductivity, and kept metal ion release at a very low level under the studied conditions.
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Researchers at Austria’s TU Wien have found that a much thinner platinum coating could protect components used in hydrogen production. It can potentially reduce the amount of the precious metal needed for these protective layers by around 88%.
The experiments examined platinum-coated titanium bipolar plates used in proton exchange membrane (PEM) water electrolysis.
Under the conditions studied, a coating just 24 nanometers thick remained largely intact and retained good electrical conductivity after electrochemical stress.
The findings point to a possible way to reduce equipment costs. However, the researchers cautioned that the optimal thickness depends on factors including how the coating is manufactured and how uniformly it covers the surface.
Why hydrogen equipment needs platinum
Water electrolysis uses electricity to split water into hydrogen and oxygen. At one electrode, the process produces oxygen, positively charged hydrogen ions (protons), and electrons.
The protons pass through a membrane to the second electrode, where they combine with electrons to form hydrogen. Keeping the equipment operational in this environment is more complicated than the basic reaction suggests.
“Electrolysis creates a chemical environment that is damaging to many metallic components. Metal can dissolve, while oxide layers can form at the same time and impede the flow of electric current,” explained Helmut Riedl-Tragenreif from the Institute of Materials Science and Technology at TU Wien.
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See AllInnovationGeorgia Tech’s Nexus AI supercomputer can now be accessed by all US scientistsInnovationOxygen-based chipmaking method controls 2D crystal growth with over 99% successInnovationTiny chip stores memories in flowing water without conventional electronicsInnovationNew charging system delivers 800 kWh in 18 minutes for electric mining trucksInnovationHow this 50-acre factory builds 48,000 miles of undersea cables that connect the world“If the system is to remain operational for a long time, the different components have to be carefully matched to one another. Bipolar plates play a particularly important role here, accounting for up to 30% of total system costs,”he added.
These plates support the equipment mechanically, conduct electricity, and help transport water and gases. Titanium resists corrosion well, but an oxide layer forms on its surface and obstructs electrical current.
A thinplatinum coatingaddresses that problem by conducting electricity while protecting the titanium underneath.
A thinner coating survives the tests
The TU Wien team systematically investigated how thick that protective layer needs to be. A 24-nanometer coating proved sufficient under the conditions tested, while an eight-nanometer layer showed clear problems.
Compared with a 200-nanometer coating of the kind currently used in industry, the successful thinner layer represents a potential reduction of around 88% in platinum consumption for the protective coating.
The researchers also examined whether the coatings remained resistant after electrochemical stress, rather than assessing only their initial performance.
“We analyzed the coatings before and after electrochemical stress using high-resolution methods. One particularly important question is whether microscopic defects develop in the coating,” said Riedl-Tragenreif.
Small defects can accelerate damage
A defect in the platinum layer can expose the titanium below to attack. The titanium oxidizes, and small oxygen bubbles may form at the interface, creating mechanical stresses that further damage the coating.
As larger sections detach, more titanium becomes exposed, allowing the damage to accelerate.
The eight-nanometer coating showed clear indications of this process. After electrochemical stress, researchers observed larger defects and found that significantly more titanium and platinum ions had entered the electrolyte.
The 24-nanometer coating remained largely intact, maintained good conductivity, and kept metal ion release at a very low level under the studied conditions.
Get the latest in engineering, tech, space & science - delivered daily to your inbox.
By subscribing, you agree to our
Terms of Useand
PoliciesYou may unsubscribe at any time.
0
COMMENT
Subscribe to
Today!
Access to exclusive content, expert insights and a deeper dive into engineering and tech. No ads, no limits.
Explore Now!By
Atharva GosaviAtharva is a full-time content writer with a post-graduate degree in media & amp; entertainment and a graduate degree in electronics & telecommunications. He has written in the sports and technology domains respectively. In his leisure time, Atharva loves learning about digital marketing and watching soccer matches. His main goal behind joining Interesting Engineering is to learn more about how the recent technological advancements are helping human beings on both societal and individual levels in their daily lives.
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- 2OpenAI says its own models helped identify employee arrested over hidden office bug
- 3Gemini 4 Argon cuts quantum computing costs 100-fold, advances fusion and robotics
- 4US lab develops magnet storage stands for world's first polarized electron-ion collider
- 5New drone interceptor takes off like a quadcopter, then flies forward autonomously
