Electrolyzer & Fuel Cell Technologies

How Dexmet Expanded Materials Improve the Efficiency of Electolyzers and Fuel Cells.

Dexmet has provided materials for power applications for over 50 years. Dexmet has redefined how expanded materials can be incorporated into electrolyzers, proton exchange membrane (PEM), solid oxide (SOFC), and other fuel cell applications. When working with expensive materials like niobium, zirconium, silver, titanium and nickel, expanded products provide efficiency advantages that make it a more economical solution over similar perforated or chemically-etched products. The unique simultaneous slit and stretch process yields up to 90% more finish product output than raw material input. When trying to reduce the overall cost of a fuel cell stack, expanded materials are an ideal solution.

Applications Within an Electrolyzer or Fuel Cell Stack

Fuel Cell stacks are made up of several layers of material. The versatility of MicroGrid and PolyGrid expanded materials can be utilized in many of these layers to increase performance and reduce cost

Excellent as a Catalyst Substrate

The open area design allows for more surface area to deposit the catalyst. The open area design allows for better flow through the catalyst improving ion separation

Gas Diffusion Electrodes, Flow Field Structures and Current Collector Screens

The 3D geometry allows for more consistent diffusion over the catalyst increasing efficiency.

Membrane Support Grids

As stack pressures increase the need for membrane support materials becomes essential to reduce the amount of flex the membrane is subjected to during operation. MicroGrid® and PolyGrid® materials are perfect support materials for reducing the amount of flex without affecting flow through the system

New Expanded Corrugated Products

Dexmet has configured a product that answers the need of Fuel Cell designers trying to increase the efficiency of the anode and reduce stack cost through multi-functional products. Dexmet's new expanded corrugated product, when used as the anode substrate, increases the amount of surface area allowing for catalyst material to be applied. The new product can also enhance the flow through the substrate for better ion separation.

Variability in the manufacturing process allows the customer to specify the amplitude and frequency, as well as the open area of the material, to optimize surface area and flow for the application. In addition, this product can also be utilized to create the hydrogen and oxidant flow field layers within the stack

Fuel Cell Solutions white paper cover

MicroGrid® Expanded Metals for Fuel Cell & Hydrogen/Oxygen Generation Technologies

To learn more about the applications and the benefits of Dexmet’s expanded MicroGrid® materials for electrolyzers and fuel cells, download our product data sheet. Let our experts demonstrate how you can incorporate innovative expanded materials into your fuel cell designs and improve their efficiency.