A field guide to Pure Nickel Fiber Felt Disc in real production

If you’ve ever wrestled with pressure drop, corrosion, or repeatability in harsh media, you’ve probably bumped into the Pure Nickel Fiber Felt Disc debate. Lately—thanks to the hydrogen push and stricter electrolyte purity rules—the category has grown fast. From my notes and shop-floor conversations, many customers say nickel felt “just behaves” better than woven mesh once you step into high alkaline or reducing atmospheres. And yes, customization matters more than the brochure lets on.

What it is and why it’s trending

A nickel fiber felt disc is a sintered mat of microfibers (≈8–22 μm) pressed and vacuum-sintered into a tough, open 3D network. It’s not glamorous, but it’s brilliant at combining high porosity with decent structural strength and excellent conductivity. In fuel cells and alkaline electrolyzers, that’s gold. Add the sustainability push and surprise—sintered felts are quietly replacing multilayer mesh in several lines.

Key specs (typical, real-world use may vary)

Parameter	Specification
Base material	Pure Nickel N02201/N02200; options in Titanium (Gr1–Gr5, etc.) and Zirconium (R60702, etc.) for hybrid stacks
Disc diameter	≈10–120 mm (custom on request)
Thickness	≈0.4–6.0 mm
Porosity	≈70–92%
Filtration rating	≈3–100 μm (ASTM F316 bubble-point/mean-flow)
Air permeability	≈1,200–4,800 L/m²·s @ 200 Pa
Max temperature	≈600°C (air), up to ≈1000°C (reducing)
Electrical contact resistance	≈10–80 mΩ·cm² @ 100 kPa (contact-dependent)
Certifications	ISO 9001, RoHS/REACH, EN 10204 3.1 material certs

Process, testing, and service life

• Materials: high-purity nickel fiber (N02201), optional Titanium & Nickel & Zirconium stacks for mixed-media resistance.
• Manufacture: fiber lay-up → vacuum/hydrogen sintering (≈800–1100°C) → rolling/lamination → anneal → precision stamping → ultrasonic degreasing.
• Testing: pore size via ASTM F316; chemistry vs ASTM B160/B162; corrosion per ASTM G31; hardness/compression; cleanliness per internal SOPs.
• Service life: ≈3,000–8,000 h in alkaline/solvent duty; strongly tied to differential pressure and cleaning cycles.

Where it’s used

– Alkaline electrolyzers and hydrogen purification (catalyst support, gas diffusion).
– Battery safety vents and solvent vapor filtration.
– Chemical plants handling caustics where stainless meshes pit too fast.
– Wicking/thermal spreaders in packs; surprisingly effective in cyclic duty.

Advantages people actually notice

Lower pressure drop at similar cut, robust to thermal shock, and kinder during start-stop. In fact, several engineers told me they switched to Pure Nickel Fiber Felt Disc just to stop re-qualifying meshes every quarter.

Vendor landscape (approximate, not exhaustive)

Vendor type	Traceability	MOQ	Lead time	Customization	QMS
OEM (Shijiazhuang, China)	EN 10204 3.1; heat lots	≈50–200 pcs	≈2–4 weeks	High (diameter/grade/porosity)	ISO 9001
EU brand	Strong, certificate packs	≈20–50 pcs	≈4–8 weeks	Medium–High	ISO 9001/14001
Trading company	Varies	Low	Varies	Limited	Claims vary

Customization and the Titanium/Nickel/Zirconium angle

For aggressive chemistries, hybrid stacks pair Pure Nickel Fiber Felt Disc with Titanium (Gr2) or Zirconium (R60702) hardware. It sounds niche, but it’s become standard in a few caustic loops. Specs are tuned by density, thickness, and post-sinter calendering.

Two quick case notes

Electrolyzer OEM (APAC): swapping multilayer mesh for nickel felt discs cut ΔP ≈18–22% at 300 L/h anolyte and extended maintenance intervals from 6 to 10 weeks; ASTM F316 mean-flow pore size held within ±2 μm lot-to-lot.

Battery pack plant (EU): nickel felt vent discs stabilized airflow across 1.5–4.0 kPa with fewer clogging incidents; internal G31 immersion tests showed negligible mass loss in carbonate solvents over 72 h.

Sourcing tip

Look for ISO 9001, F316 reports, and EN 10204 3.1 certs tied to N02201 heats. If you’re auditing in person, the OEM at Rm. C-1301, Hyde Park Plaza, No. 66 Yuhua W. Road, Shijiazhuang, 050056 China is worth a factory walk—tooling is modern and, honestly, lead times are practical.

Authoritative references

1. ASTM F316 – Pore size characterization by bubble point/mean flow.
2. ASTM B160/B162 – Nickel rod/plate/strip material requirements for N02200/N02201.
3. ASTM G31 – Laboratory immersion corrosion testing of metals.
4. ISO 9001:2015 – Quality management systems for manufacturing control.
5. NACE MR0175/ISO 15156 – Materials for H2S-containing environments (selection guidance).