Customizing the Perfect Coating Solution for Your PEM Electrolyzer

A Conversation with Cheersonic Application Engineers – Customizing the Perfect Coating Solution for Your PEM Electrolyzer

In the manufacturing process of proton exchange membrane (PEM) electrolyzers, the uniformity and adhesion of the catalyst coating, membrane thickness control, and production efficiency are crucial in determining the electrolyzer’s performance and lifespan. Cheersonic understands that every customer faces a different electrolyzer application scenario: some require highly active catalyst loading to increase current density, some require extremely thin membranes to reduce proton transport impedance, others focus on the consistency of large-area coatings, or pursue continuous production at high capacity. Therefore, we strongly recommend that you communicate directly one-on-one with a senior application engineer at Cheersonic, fully explaining your specific electrolyzer application needs, material system, performance targets, and production line planning.

Once you begin your conversation with a Cheersonic application engineer, we will systematically tailor a coating solution for you from four core technical aspects:

First, precise selection of ultrasonic nozzles.

The ultrasonic nozzle is the core execution unit of the spraying system. Cheersonic offers a variety of nozzle models, covering different atomization characteristics such as wide-spread, narrow-spread, focusing, and scattering. For proton exchange membranes in PEM electrolyzers—typically Nafion series or other perfluorosulfonic acid membranes—we recommend the most suitable nozzle based on your catalyst slurry viscosity, solids content, and solvent type (e.g., water-based, alcohol-based, or mixed solvents). For example, for low-solids, easily settling iridium-based anode slurries, we recommend using high-frequency, fine-atomization nozzles to achieve a more uniform droplet distribution; while for high-viscosity platinum-carbon cathode slurries, low-frequency, high-flow-rate nozzles may be chosen to ensure deposition efficiency and membrane integrity. By matching the correct nozzle, Cheersonic can help you avoid the “coffee ring effect,” coating cracking, or pinhole defects from the outset.

Second, the design of the coating solution delivery method.

The stable delivery of the catalyst slurry directly determines the consistency and repeatability of the coating. Cheersonic offers a variety of solution delivery solutions: from basic gravity flow and peristaltic pump constant flow delivery to more advanced closed-loop pressure tank control and mass flow meter closed-loop feedback systems. We will design the most reliable delivery path based on your slurry characteristics—whether it is prone to settling, contains large particles, or is sensitive to shear forces—and your desired spraying cycle time. For continuous roll-to-roll production, Cheersonic can also integrate pulsed or continuous supply modules to eliminate film thickness deviations caused by supply fluctuations. You don’t need to worry about blockages or flow drift caused by complex slurries; Cheersonic engineers will ensure end-to-end stability from the reservoir to the nozzle outlet through parameter optimization and pipeline design.

Third, the customization of the catalyst deposition strategy.

The catalyst layer in a PEM electrolyzer needs to simultaneously achieve high electrochemical active area, good proton/electron conduction pathways, and an appropriate porous structure. Cheersonic offers diverse deposition strategies for different electrolyzer designs (such as traditional flat-plate, three-dimensional porous transport layer structures, or novel microporous films): including static scanning deposition, multi-axis robotic dynamic deposition, and mask-selective region deposition. We also assist you in optimizing the spray path, overlap ratio, spray height, and substrate temperature. For scenarios requiring layered deposition of different catalyst formulations (e.g., using an IrO₂/TiO₂ composite catalyst on the anode side and Pt/C on the cathode side), Cheersonic supports multilayer co-coating or intermittent spraying processes to construct gradient catalytic layers, significantly reducing interfacial contact resistance. Through a reasonable deposition strategy, you can achieve lower catalyst loadings (e.g., reducing the anode iridium loading to below 0.2 mg/cm²) while maintaining excellent electrolytic performance.

Fourth, comprehensive solutions for membrane coating system configuration.

Cheersonic provides not isolated spraying equipment, but complete membrane coating systems that can be flexibly configured for laboratory, pilot-scale, or fully automated mass production. Based on your production throughput requirements (e.g., how many square meters to coat per minute, or how many membrane electrodes to process per day), we will recommend the appropriate substrate transport method: for R&D and small-batch production, a single-piece vacuum chuck platform can be used; for pilot production, a linear module reciprocating platform can be selected; for large-scale mass production, Cheersonic offers roll-to-roll (R2R) continuous coating systems supporting proton exchange membrane rolls with widths from 300mm to over 1000mm, and integrating online film thickness monitoring, defect detection, and closed-loop feedback regulation. System configurations also include exhaust emissions, solvent recovery, heating and drying modules (infrared or hot air), and explosion-proof design to ensure safety, environmental friendliness, and compliance with industry standards.

Ultimately, all of Cheersonic’s recommendations are closely aligned with your specific goals regarding PEM electrolyzer performance, film thickness, surface area, and production throughput. We will verify parameters through preliminary experiments (sending samples or providing prototyping services) and provide detailed process reports, including film thickness distribution curves, sheet resistivity tests, electrochemical polarization curves, and long-term operational stability data. Whether you aim to control film thickness tolerance within ±0.5μm, achieve a single-piece coating cycle time of less than 3 seconds, or increase active surface area by more than 30%, Cheersonic’s application engineers can work with you to find the most reliable engineering solutions.

Contact Cheersonic’s application engineers now. Tell us your electrolyzer application, and leave the rest to Cheersonic.

About Cheersonic

Cheersonic is the leading developer and manufacturer of ultrasonic coating systems for applying precise, thin film coatings to protect, strengthen or smooth surfaces on parts and components for the microelectronics/electronics, alternative energy, medical and industrial markets, including specialized glass applications in construction and automotive.

Our coating solutions are environmentally-friendly, efficient and highly reliable, and enable dramatic reductions in overspray, savings in raw material, water and energy usage and provide improved process repeatability, transfer efficiency, high uniformity and reduced emissions.

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