PRODUCTION OF HIGH SURFACE AREA NICKEL ELECTRODES BY ELECTROPLATING THROUGH A MICROPOROUS POLYMER

摘要

A novel low temperature technique (60℃) has been established to produce microporous nickel coatings. The coatings are produced by electrodeposition from a standard nickel sulphamate bath held in the dispersed phase of a water-in-oil high internal phase emulsion. After plating the emulsion is easily washed away leaving the porous coating behind. Similar coatings have also been produced by electrodeposition through a polymerised high internal phase emulsion and burning off the polymer. The coatings were characterised by scanning electron microscopy and cyclic voltammetry to evaluate the structure and electroactive surface area respectively. The nickel coatings were compared with each other and those in the literature by evolving hydrogen in degassed 0.5M sodium hydroxide. Both types of coating had superior performance, exhibiting lower overpotentials for hydrogen evolution than smooth and sintered nickel.