CATEGORY  Industrial Electrochemistry & Titanium Materials

TAGS  #Titanium Anode Plate #MMO DSA Anode #Chlor-Alkali #Electroplating #Baoji Titanium Valley #Shaanxi Ruifuxiang

From Electrode Science to Baoji Manufacturing Excellence

ABSTRACT

Titanium anode plates (MMO/DSA anodes) are the silent workhorses of modern electrochemical engineering. This article maps where pure titanium and titanium alloy anode plates are deployed across the chemical, electroplating, hydrometallurgy, and water-treatment sectors, details the metallurgical and coating technologies behind them, highlights the standardized manufacturing ecosystem of Baoji—China’s Titanium Valley—and closes with the production-export professionalism of Shaanxi Ruifuxiang Industry & Trade Co., LTD.

Published: August 2026  |  Reading Time: ~12 min  |  www.tiwwrfx.com

1. Where Titanium Anode Plates Are Used

A titanium anode plate is a composite electrode: a titanium substrate (pure Ti or Ti alloy) plus a precious-metal oxide active coating (RuO₂, IrO₂, Pt, etc.). It is called a DSA (Dimensionally Stable Anode) or MMO (Mixed Metal Oxide) anode.

1.1 Chemical & Chlor-Alkali Industry

• Chlor-alkali membrane cells: Ru-based coated titanium plates serve as anode assemblies in brine electrolysis tanks, producing Cl₂, NaOH, H₂ at lower cell voltage (10–20% energy saving vs graphite).

• Chlorate / hypochlorite generators: Used in electrolytic cells for NaClO production in pulp mills, swimming-pool disinfection, and offshore platforms.

• Organic electro-synthesis: Ir-Ta coated plates act as reaction anodes for fine-chemical oxidation under acidic media.

1.2 Electroplating & Metal Finishing

• Plating baths (Ni, Au, Cr, Rh, Cu): Titanium anode plates replace soluble anodes to keep bath chemistry stable and current distribution uniform—mounted as immersed plate anodes in rack and barrel plating lines.

• Precious-metal recovery: Used in drag-out recovery cells to deposit Au/Cu from rinse water.

1.3 Hydrometallurgy & Non-Ferrous Extraction

• Cu SX-EW, Zn electrowinning, Co/Ni deposition: Wide-format pure-TA1/TA2 titanium plates (1.3–2.1 m wide) form the anode banks in electrolytic cells; Ir-Ta coating gives oxygen evolution with low overpotential.

• Rare-metal recycling: Used in Li, Mn, Cr recovery cells from spent batteries and slags.

1.4 Application Matrix at a Glance

2. Pure Ti vs Ti-Alloy Anode Plates: Materials & Key Technologies

2.1 Substrate Selection

2.2 Manufacturing Process Chain

1. Base forming: Hot/cold rolling of titanium slab → precision leveling (plane tolerance ≤0.5 mm/m for copper-foil anodes) → laser cutting / chemical etching of flow holes.

2. Surface activation: Alkali degrease → HCl/HF acid etch → sandblasting to Ra 3–5 μm → ultrasonic rinse → immediate coating to avoid re-passivation.

3. Coating (core IP): Thermal decomposition (mainstream): brush/spray RuCl₃ / H₂IrCl₆ precursor → dry at 100℃ → sinter 450–550℃ ×10–15 min → repeat 10–20× to 10–30 μm total. Platinum plating: 1–5 μm Pt layer for highest purity. Advanced variants: plasma spraying, graphene-Cu nano-composite interlayers.

4. Validation: XRF coating thickness, SEM crack check, chronopotentiometric life test (≥6000 h @10 A/dm², 85℃), salt-spray, pass/fail per GB/T 33637-2025 (MMO/Ti flexible anode std, effective 2026-05).

 Pure-Ti plates win on corrosion + cost; Ti-alloy substrates appear only when the holder/frame must take mechanical load—coating science is identical, metallurgy differs.

2.3 Coating Technology Comparison

3. Baoji — China’s Titanium Valley: Technological Diversity & Standardization

Baoji (Shaanxi) hosts the densest titanium supply chain outside the US/Russia: from sponge titanium, VAR melting, plate/bar/tube rolling, to MMO coating labs.

3.1 Process Diversity

• Three-roll precision rolling (grain size 2–3 μm control), vacuum arc remelting (ALD furnaces), CNC machining, laser etching, thermal-decomposition coating lines, PVD chambers, and UT/RT/XRF inspection all coexist within a 20 km radius.

3.2 Normative Backbone

• Baoji enterprises (led by Baoti) have authored 4 international titanium standards (e.g. Titanium and Titanium Alloy Naming System), 74 national GB standards, 36 military specs, 35 industry specs.

• The city runs a National Ti Material Quality Inspection Center and a full R&D → production → inspection standards loop.

3.3 Green & Traceable

• Titanium Valley Declaration (2025) enforces low-carbon melting, sponge-titanium cycle management, and MTC traceability per ASTM B265 / GB/T 3621.

 For a buyer, this means: a titanium anode plate made in Baoji can be specified to ASTM, GB, ISO, or OEM drawing—and recoated/refurbished locally without re-qualifying the supply base.

4. Shaanxi Ruifuxiang — Professionalism in Production & Export

COMPANY PROFILE

Shaanxi Ruifuxiang Industry & Trade Co., LTD is founded in 2017 and is headquartered in Baoji City, Shaanxi Province, China. We specialize in Titanium Products. With years of experience and a team of highly skilled professionals, we have become a leading company in the Titanium manufacturing.

Our main products include Titanium plate/bar/pipe/wire, Titanium Anode Sheet, Titanium Fasteners and other materials, which are widely used in metallurgy, electronics, medical, chemical, petroleum, medicine, aerospace and so on.

We have established long-term partnerships with many well-known companies both domestically and internationally, and have received high praise for our quality products and excellent customer service. In addition, we are a socially responsible company and strive to make a positive impact on the communities in which we operate.

4.1 Manufacturing Edge

1. Direct access to Baoji’s standardized mill base → TA1/TA2/Gr2/Gr5 anode substrates cut, leveled, and hole-patterned to drawing.

2. In-house/partner MMO coating line covering Ru-Ir (chlorine evolution) and Ir-Ta (oxygen evolution) systems, 10–30 μm controllable, with life-test reporting.

3. OEM customization: from 0.8 mm thin plate to 12 mm thick anode backings, expanded mesh, and hybrid flange-anode assemblies.

4.2 Trade & Service Edge

1. 73% of group titanium tonnage exported; multilingual docs (EN/RU/ES), MTC + third-party inspection friendly (SGS/BV).

2. Long-term supply agreements with overseas electroplating shops, chlor-alkali retrofitters, and CP-system integrators.

3. Socially responsible ops: environmentally controlled etching lines, community charity support, transparent lead times.

From a single MMO plate for a lab electrolyzer to 2000×1200 mm anode banks for a chlor-alkali retrofit—Ruifuxiang turns Baoji’s titanium ecosystem into a delivered, documented, and recoatable commodity.

4.3 Product Matrix

5. How to Specify Your Titanium Anode Plate

When submitting an RFQ or drawing to Ruifuxiang, include the following parameters to ensure accurate quotation and on-time delivery:

Need a one-page product spec sheet (TA2 + Ir-Ta coating, 2×1 m, 8 mm holes) for your next chlor-alkali bid?

Ruifuxiang can turn the drawing around in 7 working days.

www.tiwwrfx.com  |  sales@tiwwrfx.com

References & Further Reading

1. KD-Chem, What is a Titanium Anode? http://www.kd-chem.com/cn/c-communication2.html

2. Bosidao Dian, MMO Titanium Anode Plate Production Process, 2026-07

3. Baoji Titanium Info Net, Standard-Led Branding of Baoji · China Titanium Valley, 2025-03

4. ti-metals.com, DSA Titanium Anode Application Fields

5. CN119800272B, Titanium Alloy Anode Plate and Preparation Method

6. China.com, Baoji · China Titanium Valley Declaration, 2025-04

7. tjanode.com, Typical DSA Coated Titanium Anode Applications, 2024-09

8. baojiti.com.cn, Electrochemical Titanium Anode Plate

9. Zhongrui Guoneng, Copper-Foil Titanium Anode Manufacturing Difficulties, 2026-07

10. Chinadaily C财经, Baoji Titanium Valley New-Quality Productivity, 2025-12