Application of ultrasonic atomizing nozzle equipment in catalyst spraying

What is an ultrasonic atomizing nozzle?

Ultrasonic atomizing nozzles utilize piezoelectric transducers to generate high-frequency mechanical vibrations of 20kHz to 120kHz or higher, delivering liquid to the nozzle surface to form a stable liquid film. Ultrasonic vibrations then break this film into uniform, tiny droplets, which are subsequently transported to the workpiece surface by a low-pressure carrier gas to form a high-quality coating.

Unlike traditional pressure spraying, ultrasonic spraying relies almost entirely on high-pressure air, thus eliminating significant splashing and rebound, and greatly improving the utilization rate of the catalyst slurry.

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Working principle of ultrasonic catalyst spraying

The catalyst slurry is continuously delivered to the ultrasonic nozzle via a precision metering pump.

High-frequency vibration causes the slurry to form a uniform liquid film, which is then instantly atomized into droplets of approximately 20–60 μm (the exact size depends on the nozzle frequency and liquid properties).

Subsequently, a small amount of carrier gas is used to uniformly deposit the droplets onto the substrate surface. Combined with an XYZ automated motion platform, large-area, high-precision, and repeatable automated spraying can be achieved.

The entire process is continuous, stable, and allows for precise control of film thickness, making it ideal for high-value catalyst materials.

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Advantages of ultrasonic spraying catalysts

1. High uniformity of spraying

The droplets generated by ultrasound have a very uniform size distribution, which can form a continuous, dense and uniformly thick catalyst film, effectively reducing pinholes, agglomeration and sagging.

2. Improve catalyst utilization

Precious metal catalysts such as platinum, iridium, and ruthenium are expensive.

In traditional spraying processes, a large amount of slurry is wasted due to bounce and overspray.

Ultrasonic spraying involves almost no high-speed impact, enabling material utilization to reach over 90%, significantly reducing production costs.

3. Precise control of film thickness

By adjusting:

* Nozzle frequency

* Liquid flow rate

* Spraying speed

* Scanning spacing

* Number of sprays

, film thicknesses ranging from tens of nanometers to hundreds of micrometers can be obtained to meet different process requirements.

4. Not prone to clogging the nozzle

Ultrasonic nozzles do not have the small-hole structure of traditional pressure nozzles, making them more adaptable to slurries containing nanoparticles, ceramic particles, and catalysts, thus reducing the risk of clogging.

5. Gentle spray coating protects the structure of the material.

Catalyst slurries typically contain nanoparticles and ionomers (such as Nafion).

Ultrasonic atomization is a low-shear spraying method that effectively avoids particle breakage and aggregation, preserving the original properties of the slurry.

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Features of RPS-SONIC Ultrasonic Atomizing Nozzle Equipment

The RPS-SONIC ultrasonic atomization spraying system is designed for high-precision functional material spraying and offers the following advantages:

• High-frequency ultrasonic nozzles ensure uniform and stable droplet size.

• Supports continuous and intermittent spraying modes.

• Compatible with low-viscosity and medium-to-high-viscosity catalyst slurries.

• Equipped with a high-precision injection pump or peristaltic pump for precise liquid supply.

• Can be integrated with XYZ automated motion platforms, rotary platforms, and robots.

• Spray width, flow rate, and film thickness can all be precisely controlled.

• Supports laboratory R&D, pilot-scale, intermediate-scale, and automated production line applications. With its stable spraying performance and high material utilization rate, RPS-SONIC equipment has been widely used in fuel cells, PEM electrolyzers, lithium batteries, photovoltaics, semiconductors, and new material R&D.