The diversity of nickel electrodes stems from the excellent conductivity and corrosion resistance of nickel materials, as well as their performance tunability achieved through modern material technologies (such as nanostructure design). Applications range from high-temperature welding rods for industrial welding (e.g., ENiCrMo-3), nanocomposite electrodes for advanced energy storage devices (e.g., NiSe/CoSe/Ni₃Se₂ arrays), high-purity nickel plates in electroplating tanks (e.g., N4 nickel cathode plates), precision nickel pastes for microelectronic components (e.g., LX-NJ9020), to catalytic filters in environmental protection applications (photocatalytic foam nickel), nickel electrodes span virtually every critical application scenario from traditional heavy industry to cutting-edge high-tech fields.
These Nickel electrodes are primarily used for joining or repairing nickel-based alloy components operating in high-temperature, corrosive environments. Common specific types and product names include the ENiCrMo-3 nickel alloy welding electrode (commonly referred to as nickel-chromium-molybdenum alloy welding rod), which has an operating current range of 50 to 150 amperes and can withstand temperatures up to 540 degrees Celsius. It is particularly suitable for welding materials such as Hastelloy, featuring stable arc performance and strong crack resistance. Additionally, there are series products such as ENiCrFe-0 electrodes, ENiCrFe-2 electrodes, and ENiCrMo-5 electrodes, which are designed for different nickel alloys (such as Inconel alloys) to meet specific welding requirements in high-temperature and high-pressure environments.
In advanced energy storage devices such as lithium-ion batteries and supercapacitors, nickel is widely used due to its excellent conductivity and structural design flexibility. These Nickel electrodes come in various forms, with product names typically describing their structural characteristics. For example, the Ni/Porous-Ni/V₂O₅ nano-composite cathode combines porous nickel current collectors with vanadium pentoxide nano-sheets without traditional binders, significantly enhancing lithium-ion diffusion efficiency. After 100 cycles at a 0.2C rate, its capacity retention exceeds 90%. Another example is the gladiolus-shaped NiSe/CoSe/Ni₃Se₂ nano-composite array nickel electrode, whose unique one-dimensional nanowire and two-dimensional nanosheet composite structure endows it with an outstanding specific capacitance of up to 1666 F/g (at a current density of 0.5 A/g), making it an ideal choice for high-performance supercapacitors. Additionally, three-dimensional porous nickel foam is a fundamental and important product with a porosity of up to 80% and a density of approximately 0.25 g/cm³, combining excellent conductivity and a large specific surface area. It is widely used as a current collector in batteries or as a carrier substrate for catalytic reactions.
In electroplating industries and electrolysis processes, nickel is commonly used as an anode or cathode material. Typical products include electrophoretic oxidation coloring nickel cathode plates, with specific materials such as N4 nickel plates, N6 nickel plates, or Ni201 nickel plates, These high-purity (>99.9%) cold-rolled nickel plates exhibit excellent resistance to electrolytic corrosion. Common specifications include 3.0 mm thickness, 150 mm width, and 6750 mm length, specifically designed for the electrophoretic coloring process of aluminum profiles. Another type used for laboratory and small-scale testing is the Hastelloy test nickel anode, typically manufactured as electrolytic nickel anode blocks (dimensions such as 60×70×3–5 mm), made from pure nickel, for optimizing electroplating process parameters.
In the field of electronic components, nickel powder is a key material for manufacturing the Nickel electrodes of MLCCs. Its primary product form is nickel electrode paste, such as the MLCC nickel electrode paste model LX-NJ9020. This paste contains approximately 56±1% solid content, with nickel powder particle sizes of approximately 600 nanometers, and is designed for sintering temperatures within the range of 1250±150 degrees Celsius, suitable for capacitors using dielectric materials such as X7R/X5R. To meet the demand for smaller sizes (such as 0402 or smaller) and higher-capacity MLCCs, nano-sized ultra-fine nickel powder (particle size customizable between 1 and 100 nanometers) is used. This type of nickel powder is typically produced via physical vapor deposition, ensuring no chemical ligand contamination, and serves as the core material for achieving high capacitance density in miniature capacitors.
The porous structure of nickel is also utilized for filtration and catalytic functions. A representative product is the photocatalytic foam nickel filter, which uses three-dimensional foam nickel as the substrate and is coated with a nanoscale titanium dioxide (TiO₂) photocatalytic layer on its surface. Under ultraviolet light, this composite material can effectively decompose airborne pollutants (such as formaldehyde), making it suitable for use as a three-dimensional foam nickel photocatalytic filter in air purifiers and air conditioning systems, enabling self-regenerating air purification functionality.
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