Power

Power Technologies

Versatile expanded metal foils for primary & secondary batteries, fuel cells, and electrolysis equipment.

Our Certifications and Organizations

Market Overview

The electrically active material compromising the electrodes of most advanced battery designs are powders and require a mechanical support structure to hold them in place during the manufacturing process.

This support structure also functions as a current collector and provides the electrical connection point for the external circuit.

Active Material Support Structure
Engineered Geometry For Open Area
Single-Unit for Superior Conductivity

Our expanded metal foils are also used in the fuel cell and electrolyzer industries where it is required that electrodes allow the flow of fluids. The unique open-area geometry of our proprietary expansion process makes our materials well-suited to be used as the catalyst substrate or gas diffusion layer of these applications.

Power Applications for our Expanded Metal Foils

Our MicroGrid^® expanded metal foils are well-suited for a variety of power technologies.

Primary Battery
Expanded MicroGrid^® material is configured to meet conductivity, strength, and weight requirements for each specific battery chemistry. Engineers that use Dexmet’s expanded metal foils for current collector screens or as active material support structure significantly increase the active material density and electrode adhesion of their primary batteries.

Secondary Battery
The ability to expand materials at 25 micron (.001") has opened the opportunity for advanced battery designers to utilize the benefits of expanded materials typically only seen in primary batteries.

Electrolyzers & Fuel Cell
Expanding is the most economical way of creating an open area product from expensive and exotic materials. Dexmet can expand materials from niobium, zirconium, titanium and nickel to meet your stack requirements.

Electrochemistry

MicroGrid® Precision Expanded Metal Foils

Primary Battery Electrodes

The electrically active material compromising the electrodes of most modern battery designs are powders and require a mechanical support structure to hold them in place during the manufacturing process. This support structure also functions as a current collector and provides the electrical connection point for the external circuit.

Secondary Battery Electrodes

The new MicroGrid 25 aluminum and copper electrode materials have the potential to dramatically impact the performance and cycle life of secondary battery and supercapacitors. The 25 micron (.001") MicroGrid can have an approximate open area ranging from 40%-60% giving it the mass equivalent consistent with 10 to 14 micron solid foils.

PPG aerospace markets and segments dexmet power electrolyzer fuel cell stack

Electrolyzers & Fuel Cell

Fuel cells and other electrochemical applications require electrodes that permit the transverse flow of fluids. The unique 3D geometry that the expansion process produces makes it a perfect material for a catalyst substrate or gas diffusion layer as well as the current collecting electrode. The efficiency advantages of using an expanded product when working with precious metals such as Niobium, Zirconium, Nickel, Silver and Titanium make it a more economical solution over similar perforated or chemically etched products. The unique simultaneous slit & stretch process can yield up to 90% more finished product output than raw material input.