Core Advantages of Nickel Foam as Catalyst Carrier
1. Three-dimensional Porous Structure
Nickel Foam has a high porosity of more than 95% and a pore size range of typically 100-500 microns, which significantly increases the loading area of the catalyst. For example, in the electrolysis of water reaction, the nickel foam carrier can enhance the distribution density of the active substance by 3-5 times, effectively reducing the local current density.
2. Excellent electrical conductivity and thermal stability
Nickel foam has a low electrical resistivity of 6.84×10-⁸ Ω-m, which enables the rapid transfer of electrons and is suitable for electrocatalytic reactions. Meanwhile, its melting point reaches 1455°C, which maintains structural stability in high-temperature reactions (e.g., dry reforming of methane).
3. Mechanical strength and processability
Compared with carbon-based carriers, the compressive strength of nickel foam can reach 10-20 MPa, which can be adapted to different reactor designs by cutting and bending, and is not easy to be pulverized after recycling.
Typical Applications of Nickel Foam in Catalysis
1. Hydrogen Production from Electrolyzed Water
In Hydrogen Elimination Reaction (HER), Nickel Foam loaded transition Metal phosphide (e.g., Ni₂P) can reduce the overpotential to less than 50 mV, which can increase the efficiency by 40% compared with a traditional graphene carrier.
2. Fuel cell cathode materials
When used in proton exchange membrane fuel cells, nickel foam platinum-loaded catalysts have a mass activity of 0.45 A/mg Pt (U.S. Department of Energy standard), and their porous structure promotes oxygen diffusion and reduces concentration polarization.
3. Organic pollutant degradation
In the advanced oxidation process, the nickel foam-loaded Co₃O₄ catalyst degraded phenol by more than 90% within 30 min, and its high specific surface area accelerated free radical generation.
Future Research Directions
Despite the outstanding performance of nickel foam, cost control and long-term corrosion resistance still need to be addressed. New modification technologies such as atomic layer deposition (ALD) coating and gradient pore design have become the focus of breakthroughs.
Media Contact
Company Name: Beihai Composite Materials Co., Ltd.
Email:Send Email
Country: China
Website: https://www.beihaicomposite.com/