Additive manufacturing of titanium porous transport layers for efficient PEM water electrolysis

This study investigates laser powder bed fusion as a novel manufacturing method for porous transport layers in proton exchange membrane water electrolysers, addressing the limitations of traditional sintering methods in controlling structural morphology and pore distribution. The research combines comprehensive structural characterisation using micro-computed tomography, mercury intrusion porosimetry, and surface profilometry with in-situ performance evaluation. The additive manufactured porous transport layers demonstrated distinct structural advantages, including an anisotropic pore structure with aligned micro-channels (pore entry diameter of 10.91 μm), controlled porosity (43–49 %), and optimized surface morphology. These characteristics resulted in superior electrochemical performance, with a 21 % reduction in ohmic resistance primarily attributed to enhanced interfacial contact between the PTL and catalyst layer. This study demonstrates that laser powder bed fusion technology can not only match but exceed the performance of traditional manufacturing methods for proton exchange membrane water electrolyser components while offering greater design flexibility for future optimisation of water electrolysis cells.