Powder metallurgy processing of Ni-Co base electrodes for application in water electrolysis

Electrodes of Co, Ni and Ni sub 50 Co sub 50 were produced by powder metallurgy techniques aiming at their application as cathodes for water electrolysis system. Sintering was carried out in vacuum/argon atmosphere at low temperature to keep some residual porosity to enhance surface electroactivity by an increase of the geometric area. The Ni-Co alloying was obtained by mechanical synthesis, making use of the appropriated route. The final electrodes presented porosity around 12 % where the electrochemical tests presented increasing in the critical peak when compared with electroplated flat samples.