Understanding Titanium Electrodes: Manufacturing, Advantages, and Applications | YASA ET

Content

1. Introduction: Why Titanium Electrodes Matter

2. What Are Titanium Electrodes?

3. Key Advantages of Titanium Electrodes

4. Titanium Electrode Manufacturing Process

5. Titanium Substrate & Coating Materials

6. Surface Treatment & Thermal Processing

7. Quality Control & Service Life

8. Applications of Titanium Electrodes

9. Special Notes & Design Considerations

10. Conclusion & References

1. Introduction: Why Titanium Electrodes Matter

Titanium electrodes commonly known as DSA® (Dimensionally Stable Anodes) are high-performance, corrosion-resistant, and long-lasting electrode materials widely used in modern electrochemical industries.

With excellent catalytic activity, stable geometry, and flexible manufacturing options, titanium electrodes have become indispensable in:

• Electrocoagulation (EC)

• Electro-oxidation (EO)

• Metal recovery and electroplating

• Disinfectant generation

• Zero Liquid Discharge (ZLD) wastewater treatment

In advanced systems such as PREDEST® EC/EO, titanium electrodes play a critical role in ensuring high efficiency, stable operation, and long service life under harsh industrial conditions.

2. What Are Titanium Electrodes?

Titanium electrodes are insoluble anodes manufactured using high-purity titanium (TA1 or TA2) as the substrate.

Their surfaces are coated with precious metal oxides, including:

• Iridium oxide (IrO₂)

• Ruthenium oxide (RuO₂)

• Platinum (Pt)

• Mixed metal oxide (MMO) formulations

These coatings form a durable, conductive, and corrosion-resistant electrochemical interface, delivering significantly better performance than traditional graphite or lead-based electrodes.

Titanium electrodes are also commonly referred to as:

• Titanium anodes

• Titanium-based insoluble anodes

• DSA® (Dimensionally Stable Anodes)

3. Key Advantages of Titanium Electrodes

Titanium electrodes provide multiple technical and economic advantages:

• Excellent oxygen and chlorine evolution performance

• High catalytic activity at low overpotential

• Capability to operate at higher current densities

• Stable electrode spacing for uniform electrolysis

• Outstanding corrosion resistance and long service life

• No sludge shedding or contamination

• Flexible geometries: plates, mesh, porous titanium, tubes, rods, or complex shapes

• High-precision manufacturing for system integration

• Titanium substrates can be recoated and reused, reducing lifecycle cost

4. Titanium Electrode Manufacturing Process

The production of titanium electrodes involves precise and controlled steps to ensure coating adhesion, electrode stability, and catalytic performance.

4.1 Titanium Substrate Selection

• Material: TA1 or TA2 titanium

• Forms: plates, porous titanium, mesh, tubes, rods, or custom designs

4.2 Cutting and Forming

Titanium is cut and formed according to customer specifications and system design requirements.

4.3 Sandblasting

Purposes:

• Remove oxide layers and surface contamination

• Create macro-roughness to enhance coating adhesion

• Increase effective surface area and reduce real current density

Typical roughness: Ra 2–15 μm, depending on application.

5. Titanium Substrate & Coating Materials

5.1 Straightening

Sandblasting may cause deformation, corrected by:

• Thermal annealing

• Mechanical straightening

5.2 Degreasing

Oil and residue removal improves acid etching uniformity and coating adhesion.

5.3 Acid Etching

Functions:

• Remove residual oxide film

• Create micro-roughness for coating bonding

Common etchants:

• Oxalic acid (milder, but produces high-COD wastewater)

• Hydrochloric or sulfuric acid (stronger, no COD contribution)

  
  

6. Surface Treatment & Thermal Processing

6.1 Coating Application

Precious metal oxide coatings are applied by:

• Brushing

• Rolling

• Spraying

Key requirements:

• Uniform coating

• No pooling, leakage, or drips

6.2 Low-Temperature Drying

Drying at 100–200 °C for ~10 minutes removes solvents prior to sintering.

6.3 High-Temperature Sintering

Electrodes are sintered at 450–550 °C for 10–20 minutes to bond the coating to the titanium substrate.

6.4 Multiple Coating Cycles

The sequence (Coating → Drying → Sintering) is repeated until the target coating thickness is achieved. Final sintering typically lasts around 1 hour.

7. Quality Control & Service Life

Finished titanium electrodes undergo comprehensive quality testing, including:

• Coating uniformity inspection

• Adhesion strength testing

• Oxygen evolution potential

• Chlorine evolution potential

• Flatness and dimensional accuracy

Proper manufacturing and testing ensure long service life and stable electrochemical performance.

8. Applications of Titanium Electrodes

Titanium electrodes are widely used in high-performance electrochemical processes:

• Electrocoagulation (EC) and Electro-Oxidation (EO)

• Industrial wastewater treatment & ZLD systems

• Electroplating and metal finishing

• PCB manufacturing

• Copper foil and aluminum foil production

• Chlorine and sodium hypochlorite generation

• Cathodic protection systems

• Electrolytic metal recovery

• Energy storage and hydrogen production

They are core components in PREDEST® EC/EO systems, ensuring efficiency, durability, and operational stability.

9. Special Notes & Design Considerations

• Precious metal oxides are costly; optimizing metal loading while maintaining performance is a key research focus.

• Even within the same coating family (Ir-Ta, Ru-Ir, Pt-based), formulations vary significantly depending on electrolyte composition and operating conditions.

• Proper electrode selection is critical for performance, lifespan, and operating cost.

10. Conclusion & References

Conclusion

Titanium electrodes represent the most advanced class of industrial anodes, offering unmatched durability, catalytic efficiency, and adaptability.

Their importance in wastewater treatment, ZLD systems, electrochemical manufacturing, and environmental engineering continues to grow, supported by advanced manufacturing techniques and continuous innovation.

For more information on titanium electrodes and PREDEST® EC/EO solutions, visit www.predest-ec.com.

References

1. Trasatti, S. Electrodes of Conductive Metallic Oxides. Elsevier, 1980.

2. Beer, H. B. “The invention and industrial development of DSA®.” Journal of the Electrochemical Society, 1980.

3. Comninellis, C. “Electrocatalysis in anodic oxidation of organics.” Electrochimica Acta, 1994.

4. Martínez-Huitle, C. A., & Ferro, S. “Electrochemical oxidation of organic pollutants.” Chemical Society Reviews, 2006.

5. Chen, G. “Electrochemical technologies in wastewater treatment.” Separation and Purification Technology, 2004.

6. Mollah, M. Y. A. et al. “Electrocoagulation for the treatment of wastewater.” Journal of Hazardous Materials, 2001.

7. Sirés, I., & Brillas, E. “Electrochemical advanced oxidation processes.” Environmental Science & Technology, 2012.

8. ASTM B348 – Standard Specification for Titanium and Titanium Alloy Bars and Billets.