{"id":122,"date":"2026-06-24T20:30:41","date_gmt":"2026-06-24T12:30:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.filturemetal.com\/sintered-titanium-components-pem-electrolysis\/"},"modified":"2026-06-25T19:16:59","modified_gmt":"2026-06-25T11:16:59","slug":"sintered-titanium-components-pem-electrolysis","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.filturemetal.com\/ko\/sintered-titanium-components-pem-electrolysis\/","title":{"rendered":"Sintered Titanium Components for PEM Electrolysis: PTL, Plates, and Mesh"},"content":{"rendered":"

PEM water electrolysis splits water into hydrogen and oxygen using a proton exchange membrane \u2014 typically Nafion \u2014 as the electrolyte. It is one of the leading technologies for producing green hydrogen from renewable electricity, and global installed capacity is growing fast. By 2030, the IEA projects over 130 GW of electrolyzer capacity will be needed to meet announced hydrogen targets. Every megawatt of PEM electrolyzer capacity requires multiple titanium components inside the cell stack, many of them porous. This post explains what those components are, why titanium is typically required on the anode side, and what specifications matter.<\/p>\n

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Why Titanium, Not Stainless Steel<\/h2>\n

A PEM electrolysis cell has two sides separated by the proton exchange membrane. The cathode side (hydrogen evolution) operates in a relatively mild environment \u2014 humidified gas at moderate potential. Standard stainless steel or carbon-based materials work fine there.<\/p>\n

\"Sintered<\/figure>\n

The anode side (oxygen evolution) is a different story. The Nafion membrane creates a strongly acidic environment with an equivalent pH below 1. Combine that with anodic potentials exceeding +1.8 V vs. RHE and dissolved oxygen, and you have conditions that aggressively corrode most metals. Stainless steel \u2014 even 316L \u2014 dissolves under these conditions. Iron, nickel, and chromium ions leach out of the steel, migrate into the membrane, and poison the catalyst layer. Within weeks to months, cell performance degrades irreversibly.<\/p>\n

Titanium survives because it forms a stable, self-healing TiO2 passive layer that withstands both the acidity and the oxidizing potential far better than most structural metals. In PEM-anode service, Grade 1 or Grade 2 titanium is therefore widely used for long stack lifetimes, although the actual corrosion rate still depends on potential, coating system, water chemistry, and operating profile. This is why components touching the anode side of a PEM electrolyzer \u2014 the porous transport layer, the flow field plate, and in some designs the current collector mesh \u2014 are typically made from titanium.<\/p>\n

Titanium Components in the PEM Stack<\/h2>\n

Porous Transport Layers (PTL)<\/h3>\n

The porous transport layer sits directly against the anode catalyst layer. It has three jobs: conduct electrons from the catalyst to the bipolar plate, distribute water evenly across the active area, and allow oxygen gas bubbles to escape without blocking the catalyst surface. The PTL is the most critical porous component in the stack.<\/p>\n

\"Sintered<\/figure>\n

PTLs are made from sintered titanium powder or titanium fiber felt, depending on the design. Sintered powder PTLs offer tighter pore size control and higher mechanical stiffness. Titanium fiber felt PTLs provide higher porosity and better gas permeability. Both types are used commercially.<\/p>\n

Typical PTL specifications:<\/p>\n