MMO coated titanium anodes

MMO coated titanium anodes have excellent electrochemical performance, with low chlorine evolution and oxygen evolution potentials, stable cell voltage, and can effectively reduce energy consumption during the electrolysis process.

Basic Characteristics of MMO coated titanium anodes

MMO coated titanium anodes are electrochemical electrode materials made from industrially pure titanium and platinum-group precious metals, and they are responsible for electrocatalytic oxidation in the electrochemical industry. The basic characteristics of MMO coated titanium anodes include excellent electrical conductivity, corrosion resistance, mechanical strength, as well as good processing and welding properties, making them electrode materials in modern electrolysis and electroplating technologies.

The preparation process of MMO coated titanium anodes includes three major steps: substrate treatment, intermediate layer preparation, and coating sintering.

The substrate needs to undergo sandblasting and acid etching for surface roughening to enhance coating adhesion. The intermediate layer usually uses precious metal oxides such as iridium and ruthenium, which are applied through coating followed by thermal decomposition and high-temperature sintering.

The third-generation Mixed Metal Oxide coated titanium anodes have a high level of technological maturity, with the main challenges in their preparation lying in controlling the uniformity of the coating and its resistance to peeling. For example, the integrated foil forming machine uses an embedded process with 1mm titanium anodes plates, but the coating is prone to peeling, which affects the quality of ultra-thin copper foil; the back-pulling process, on the other hand, is more stable and suitable for the production of ultra-thin copper foil.

Applications of MMO coated titanium anodes in the Electrochemical Industry

MMO coated titanium anodes, with their excellent performance, form the basis for their wide application in the electrochemical industry. Their application scope covers multiple electrochemical industrial fields such as chlor-alkali, electrodeposition of metals, electrolytic copper foil, aluminum foil formation, electrolytic chlorine production, and sewage treatment. MMO coated titanium anodes have promoted technological progress in the electrochemical industry and optimized the production efficiency of electrolysis and electroplating by improving current efficiency, reducing energy consumption, and extending service life.

Chlor-alkali industry: Ruthenium-iridium-titanium anodes are the core materials for the electrolytic production of chlorine gas, sodium hydroxide, and hydrogen gas. They avoid electrolyte contamination, and the product purity is increased by more than 15%.
Electrodeposition of non-ferrous metals: Iridium-tantalum-titanium anodes are used in the electrolysis of non-ferrous metals such as copper, zinc, and nickel. The stability of the iridium oxide coating extends the anode life to 2-3 times that of traditional lead anodes.
Sewage treatment and sanitary disinfection: Ruthenium-titanium anodes are widely used in sodium hypochlorite production and sewage treatment, with a current efficiency of over 85% and a 25% reduction in the production cost of disinfectants.
Energy sector: MMO coated titanium anodes perform excellently in electrolytic hydrogen production and energy storage batteries, and their low overpotential characteristic reduces energy consumption by 15%.
Electrolytic copper foil industry: Titanium anodes can reduce power consumption by approximately 15%-20% and improve the uniformity of raw foil. Domestic enterprises such as Qixin Titanium Industry and Baoji Changli have achieved large-scale applications.

MMO coated titanium anodes can be produced through directional and customized coating processes, and can be adapted to special production applications such as aluminum foiling, electrolytic copper foiling, and steel plate galvanizing.

Comparison between MMO coated titanium anodes and Traditional Anode Materials

MMO coated titanium anodes, with their performance advantages, are gradually replacing traditional graphite electrodes and lead anodes in industrial applications, becoming a key material in the field of electrochemistry. Their core advantages are reflected in multiple dimensions such as corrosion resistance, electrical conductivity, mechanical strength, processing performance, and environmental protection characteristics, providing efficient and reliable solutions for modern industry.

The electrical conductivity of MMO coated titanium anodes is significantly superior to that of traditional materials, and their low resistance characteristics can effectively reduce electrical energy loss. Titanium materials have high strength and low density, enabling them to withstand high pressure and fluid impact in electrolytic cells, thus preventing electrode deformation or fracture.

MMO coated titanium anodes can be custom-processed. They can be fabricated into different sizes and shapes according to equipment requirements, and are suitable for applications ranging from small laboratory devices to ten-thousand-ton industrial production lines. Common titanium anodes can be customized into plate, mesh, rod, or tube structures to meet diverse industrial applications.

The environmental protection characteristics of MMO coated titanium anodes

The base material can be reused. Electrodes such as ruthenium-titanium and ruthenium-iridium-titanium can be recycled multiple times after repair when their coatings fail.
No pollution, avoiding electrolyte contamination caused by the dissolution of traditional electrodes. In the fields of sewage treatment and food disinfection, titanium anodes can ensure that no heavy metals are precipitated during the production of disinfectants such as sodium hypochlorite.

Preparation of MMO coated titanium anodes

The selection and treatment of the base material for MMO coated titanium anodes are crucial for ensuring the corrosion resistance of the electrodes. Titanium metal, with its high strength, corrosion resistance, and low density, serves as an ideal base material for anode preparation.

Core indicators required for MMO coated titanium anodes substrates:

Electrochemical stability: Titanium materials with Ti ≥ 99.5% are used to eliminate the interference of impurities on electrochemical reactions, ensuring the stability and catalytic activity of the electrode. This guarantees the stability of current efficiency during the electrolysis process.
Mechanical strength: The titanium matrix must withstand the fluid pressure and mechanical stress inside the electrolytic cell to prevent electrode deformation.
Surface treatment: The surface of the substrate is sandblasted to increase surface roughness, and pickling is used to remove oxides to form a micro-rough structure, which improves the coating adhesion by more than 25%.
Sandblasting process: Use quartz sand particles to impact the surface of the substrate, forming a roughness with an Ra value of 1.5-3.0μm to enhance the mechanical interlocking of the coating.
Pickling process: Use oxalic acid or other acids to remove the surface oxide layer and contaminants, so that the surface energy is increased to more than 30mN/m.
The substrate treatment parameters must strictly match the coating process: when the purity of titanium material is lower than 99.5%, the risk of coating peeling increases by 40%, leading to a shortened electrode lifespan. Surface roughness and current efficiency: when the Ra value is lower than 1.0μm, the coating adhesion is insufficient.

MMO coated titanium anodes preparation process flow

Process steps	Key parameters	Technical points	effect
Substrate	Gr1/Gr2	Ensure the performance of titanium anodes	Stable electrochemical performance
Mechanical processing	Size control	Ensure the geometric accuracy of titanium anodes	Optimize current distribution
Sandblasting treatment	—	Increase surface roughness	Improve coating adhesion
Pickling treatment	Oxalic acid/sulfuric acid solution	Remove oxides and contaminants	Clean the surface
Coating preparation	RuO2-IrO2/IrO2-Ta2O5	Thermal decomposition oxidation/sintering	Electrocatalytic active layer
Detection	Electrochemical testing	Evaluate catalytic activity	Ensure the service life

MMO coated titanium anodes – Production Process Control

The production of MMO coated titanium anodes must follow a standardized process flow, including steps such as substrate pretreatment, coating preparation, coating application, sintering, and surface treatment.

Pretreatment of titanium anodes substrate: Improve the surface roughness of the titanium substrate through processes such as sandblasting and pickling to enhance coating adhesion.
Preparation of titanium anode coating: Precisely mix precious metal oxides such as ruthenium and iridium with binders to ensure uniform dispersion of active components.
Titanium anode coating process: The thermal decomposition oxidation method is adopted, and a dense oxide coating is formed through multiple brushing-sintering cycles.

The quality of MMO coated titanium anodes needs to be ensured through multi-dimensional testing to guarantee reliability. Electrochemical performance tests include polarization curve and impedance spectroscopy analysis to evaluate catalytic activity and stability; physical testing covers coating adhesion tests (the cross-cut method must meet ISO 2409 standard level 0) and surface morphology observation (SEM inspection shows no cracks or pores). Durability tests simulate actual working conditions, such as continuous operation at a current density of 1A/cm² for 1000 hours, with the coating loss rate required to be less than 5%. Qixin Titanium has established a full-process quality inspection system, monitoring everything from raw material purity to finished product performance, to ensure the stable operation of titanium anodes in electrolysis.

Performance of MMO coated titanium anodes

Electrochemical catalytic performance

MMO coated titanium anodes exhibit excellent catalytic performance in electrochemical processes, with their core advantages reflected in three dimensions: catalytic activity, selectivity, and stability. Catalytic activity directly determines electrolysis efficiency. For example, ruthenium-iridium-titanium anode plates significantly reduce the operating voltage in the chlor-alkali industry, decreasing energy consumption by approximately 20%. Moreover, their high current density characteristic enables them to reach 17 A/m² in diaphragm-based chlor-alkali production, which is twice the level of graphite electrodes. This high efficiency stems from the low overpotential property of the precious metal oxide coating, which can effectively reduce the activation energy of chlorine evolution or oxygen evolution reactions.
MMO coated titanium anodes achieve efficient and directional catalysis of target reactions through material composition regulation. Ruthenium-titanium anode plates have a catalytic efficiency of over 90% for chlorine gas generation in a chlorine-evolving environment while inhibiting the occurrence of side reactions; tantalum-iridium-titanium anode plates have a reduction selectivity of over 85% for metal ions such as copper and zinc during the electrolysis of non-ferrous metals in sulfuric acid. This precise selectivity benefits from the regulation of the adsorption of specific reaction intermediates by the coating microstructure. For example, iridium oxide coatings preferentially adsorb sulfate ions in an acidic environment, thereby improving the purity of metal electrolysis.
Stability is a key indicator for the long-term application of titanium anodes, and their corrosion resistance significantly extends the electrode lifespan. Ruthenium-iridium-titanium anode plates can operate continuously in chlor-alkali electrolyzers for more than 5 years, while tantalum-iridium-titanium anode plates maintain the stability of the iridium oxide coating in sulfuric acid electrolytes, preventing the dissolution of anode materials. Experimental data shows that under a current density of 10A/m², the active decay rate of titanium anodes is less than 2% per year, which is far better than that of graphite electrodes, whose decay rate exceeds 15%. This stability stems from the metallurgical bonding strength between the titanium substrate and the precious metal coating, as well as the passivation protection mechanism of the coating in highly corrosive environments.

In the future, MMO coated titanium anodes preparation technology will upgrade towards higher efficiency and greener processes. Develop composite coatings with low precious metal content to reduce costs while improving catalytic efficiency; promote low-temperature sintering processes to reduce energy consumption. Address the issue of coating peeling, which can easily lead to soft stripe defects especially in ultra-thin copper foil production, and improve bonding strength through interface modification technology.

Application of MMO coated titanium anodes in electroplating

MMO coated titanium anodes play a core role in the electroplating industry, and their mechanism of action covers three key aspects: current conduction, anode dissolution, and acid-base regulation. By optimizing the physical and chemical conditions of the electroplating process, MMO-coated titanium anodes significantly improve coating uniformity, corrosion resistance, and production efficiency, while reducing energy consumption and maintenance costs.

The low oxygen overpotential characteristic of MMO coated titanium anodes ensures uniform current distribution and avoids coating defects caused by local overheating.

The corrosion resistance of MMO coated titanium anodes ensures the stability of the dissolution process. When iridium-tantalum-titanium anode plates are electrolyzed in sulfuric acid solution, the iridium oxide coating can maintain its structural integrity for a long time, preventing the loss of anode materials.

The uniform dissolution characteristic of MMO coated titanium anodes effectively solves the problem of uneven current distribution. According to the classification data of electroplating anodes, MMO coated titanium anodes are suitable for processes such as chromium plating and zinc plating. Their precious metal oxide coatings achieve zero dissolution loss, avoiding fluctuations in the composition of the plating solution. Compared with the 60-80% current efficiency of soluble anodes, MMO coated titanium anodes control the deviation of coating thickness within ±5% through constant ion supply, and are particularly suitable for the production of aluminum foil, copper foil, etc.

The stability of MMO coated titanium anode materials prevents the introduction of impurities. The oxygen overpotential of iridium-tantalum-titanium anode plates in sulfuric acid electrolyte is lower than 0.3V, and the iridium oxide coating makes the anode dissolution rate approach zero, ensuring the purity of electroplating for non-ferrous metals such as copper and zinc.

Manufacturer of MMO coating titanium anodes

Qixin Titanium is a manufacturer of titanium anodes from China., focusing on the R&D, manufacturing and application of MMO coated titanium anodes.

Qi Xin Titanium was founded in 2006., with over 20 years of manufacturing experience, we provide stable and reliable titanium anode products suitable for multiple scenarios. We help enterprises improve electrolysis efficiency, reduce operating costs, and offer personalized customization to ensure long-term stable operation.