Electrodeposition commercial techniques

Taylor et al.8 were the first to report an electrochemical method for preparation of MEAs for PEMFCs. In their technique, Pt was electrochemically reduced and deposited at the electrode membrane interface, where it was actually utilized as an electrocatalyst. Nation, which is an ion exchange polymer membrane, is first coated on a noncatalyzed carbon support. The Nafion-coated carbon support is then immersed into a commercial acidic Pt plating solution for electrodeposition. Application of a cathodic potential results in diffusion of platinum cations through the active Nation layer. The migrated platinum species are reduced and form Pt particle at the electrode/membrane interface only on the sites which are both electronically and ionically conductive. The deposition of Pt particles merely at the electrode/membrane interface maximizes the Pt utilization. The Pt particles of 2-3.5 nm and a Pt loading of less than 0.05 mg cm-2 were obtained employing this technique.8 The limitation of this method is the difficulty of the diffusion of platinum... 

Electrodeposition is a unique, versatile technique for fabrication of metal oxide, polymer, and composite electrodes for electrochemical supercapacitors. Composition, crystal structure, and morphology of the deposits can be easily manipulated by adjusting the electrodeposition parameters to achieve improved capacitive behavior. Current progress, however, is far from the commercial expectations for electrochemical supercapacitors. 

High-concentration (40 weight percent [wt%]) ternary Pt alloy samples prepared using the carbothermal technique have yielded surface area and activity values comparable to commercial Pt samples. Platinum/Carbon (Pt/C) prepared by pulse-electrodeposition showed superior surface area and activity when compared to direct current deposited Pt/C electrodes. 

Advances in electrochemical knowledge and techniques have led to evermore sophisticated applications of electrodeposition. For example, knowledge of electrode potentials has made the electrodeposition of alloys possible and commercial. Methods have also been discovered to provide plastics with metal coatings. Similar techniques have been discovered to coat such rubber articles as gloves with a metallic layer. Worn or damaged metal objects can be returned to pristine condition by a process called electroforming. Some commercial metal objects, such as tubes, sheets, and machine parts, have been totally manufactured by electrodeposition (sometimes called electromachining). 

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