What is nickel foam used for in NiMH batteries?

Nickel Foam, a three-dimensional reticulated metal material with high permeability and low density, is emerging as a rapidly growing field in materials science. Its unique foam structure imparts open-cell properties to nickel metal, which not only brings excellent permeability but also significantly improves heat transfer and dissipation. The properties of nickel foam are derived from its unique structure, which has led to significant breakthroughs in the field of materials science.
The manufacturing process of nickel foam is quite elaborate. It is carefully crafted using electroplating technology on a specific polymer material skeleton (e.g., polyurethane, polyester polyurethane, etc.). At the end of the plating process, the internal polymer material is burned off and the metal oxides are reduced, resulting in a final metallic foam product. After chemical heat treatment and mechanical processing, these products are carefully molded into the desired shape. Key technologies ensure superior structure and function.
Nickel Foam Applications in Hydrogen Production
1. Principle of operation
In the AEM hydrogen production reaction, nickel foam is skillfully used as a porous transport layer (PTL) material in the electrolyzer, a design that is essential to enhance the efficiency and stability of the entire electrolysis system. Its good electrical conductivity allows for the smooth transfer of electrons through the holes in the reaction environment. The unique three-dimensional structure of nickel foam provides a solid support for the reaction environment, thus maintaining the stability and structural integrity of the electrode. More importantly, its porous nature results in a larger active surface area, which significantly increases the reaction rate.
2. Specifications and Indicators
Nickel foam is available in 13 to 120 pore sizes, with ≥98% porosity and through-hole ratio, and surface densities ranging from 280 to 3,000 g/m³, which can be customized according to requirements. The flexibility and versatility of these specifications ensure the suitability and efficiency of Nickel Foam in different application scenarios.
3. Functional advantages
The high electrical conductivity of Nickel Foam, combined with its ion transport facilitation and catalytic effect, results in a significant increase in reaction efficiency. At the same time, the frame structure of nickel foam provides the advantages of robustness and light weight, which are essential for the long-term stable use of electrochemical engineering equipment.
Versatile applications of nickel foam
Fields of application
Nickel foam plays a key role in a number of fields, including electrochemical engineering, chemical engineering, automotive manufacturing and the petroleum industry. Its unique versatility makes it ideal for use in these fields.
Specific applications in various fields
In electrochemical engineering, nickel foam is widely used in scenarios such as AEM electrolytic hydrogen production, electrocatalytic processes, and electrochemical metallurgy. It is often used as positive and negative electrode materials for batteries such as NiMH, NiCd and fuel cells, significantly enhancing battery performance. In addition, composites of nickel foam and carbon are ideal for lithium batteries.
In the field of chemical engineering, nickel foam is used as a catalyst and its carrier, as well as both filtration and separation functions, such as oil and water separators, automobile exhaust purifiers and air purifiers. Its large specific surface area results in reduced energy consumption and a significant increase in efficiency.
In addition, nickel foam excels in thermal management and can be used as a damping material and a highly efficient thermal conductive “core” material, significantly improving efficiency. It can also be used as a damping material that absorbs wave energy, providing sound deadening, vibration absorption, cushioning and electromagnetic shielding.
Overall, the versatility of nickel foam makes it widely used in many fields.