Iridium Oxide (IrO2) Coated Electrode for Electrolzyer, CECEIrO2

Iridium-coated titanium/nickel felt/mesh/foam is a high-performance porous transport layer (PTL) or gas diffusion layer (GDL) specifically optimized for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) on the anode side of PEM water electrolyzers. While it is also applicable to fuel cells and regenerative electrochemical systems, its primary industrial role is in electrolyzers because it can withstand the harsh, acidic, and highly oxidative environments that would immediately destroy standard carbon-based materials.

The key features of the iridium coated titanium/nickel felt/mesh/foam are: (1) Corrosion Resistance: Titanium is used because carbon-based GDLs oxidize to CO2 or carbonate ions under high anodic potentials (1.8 V to 2.0 V). The iridium coating further protects the titanium from surface passivation (forming an insulating TiO2 layer), which would otherwise increase interfacial resistance and lower efficiency. (2) Reduced Resistance: The uniform iridium layer reduces the overall ohmic resistance at the PTL/catalyst interface, potentially enabling higher cell voltages and improving long-term durability. (3) Optimized Mass Transport: Titanium felt features a unique three-dimensional fiber network with high porosity (typically 60–70%), which facilitates efficient fluid and gas transport. (4) Catalytic Activity: Iridium oxides (IrO2) are recognized as some of the few materials that provide both high catalytic activity for the OER and reasonable resistance to dissolution in acidic electrolytes.