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3D-Printed Metal Electrodes with Enhanced Bubble Removal for Efficient Water Electrolysis
Nan Liao1, Jia Zhao1, Jingshan Luo1,2,3
1Institute of Photoelectronic Thin Film Devices and Technology, State Key Laboratory of Photovoltaic Materials and Cells, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Efficient Solar Energy Utilization, Ministry of Education Engineering Research Center of Thin Film Photoelectronic Technology, Nankai University, 300350 Tianjin, China.
3D-printed Schwarz Diamond nickel electrodes enhance water electrolysis efficiency by improving bubble transport. These novel electrodes demonstrate superior performance and durability compared to conventional designs for clean hydrogen production.
Area of Science:
- Electrochemistry
- Materials Science
- Additive Manufacturing
Background:
- Conventional foam and mesh electrodes limit water electrolysis efficiency due to internal bubble entrapment.
- High current densities present a challenge for existing electrode structures in water electrolyzers.
Purpose of the Study:
- To fabricate novel nickel electrodes using 3D printing for improved water electrolysis.
- To investigate the performance and durability of Schwarz Diamond (SD) structured electrodes.
Main Methods:
- Utilized laser powder bed fusion-based 3D printing to create SD structure nickel electrodes.
- Incorporated NiMoFeOₓ for oxygen evolution reaction and MoNi₄-MoO₂ for hydrogen evolution reaction catalysis.
- Conducted in-situ observations of bubble evolution and impedance spectroscopy.
Main Results:
- Achieved a current density of 1 A cm⁻² at 1.74 V in an anion exchange membrane water electrolyzer with SD nickel electrodes.
- Demonstrated durable operation exceeding 1000 hours.
- SD structure showed highly efficient bubble/liquid transport, outperforming conventional electrodes.
Conclusions:
- 3D-printed SD nickel electrodes offer a significant advancement for efficient water electrolysis.
- The SD structure facilitates superior bubble and liquid transport, enhancing overall performance.
- 3D printing technology holds great potential for fabricating advanced metallic porous electrodes for electrolysis.
