Material Composition

Titanium is the base material in every water ionizer electrode/plate, because it has proven safe and effective. It is corrosion resistant, has the highest strength-to-weight ratio of any metal, is very durable, and demonstrates the ability to easily change polarity, which is critically important in the water ionization process. The best water ionizer plates are coated with platinum because it was determined in a 1992 study by the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare, that platinum is the only entirely safe material to use in water ionizer plating/coating.

Electrode Types

There are three basic types of plates:

• Flat Plate/electrode: The most common, basic and simple plate design.
• Mesh Plate/electrode: The most technically advanced configuration; also the most expensive to manufacture.
• Slotted or “Hybrid” Plate/electrode: A less expensive and less effective version of mesh plate technology.

Regardless of what you read, the most critical part of an water ionizer electrode is not the type but rather how the electrodes are engineered, what materials are used and how they are applied or manufactured.

Mesh or Solid electrodes/Plates?

There are three, distinctly different, types of electrodes / plate designs offered in the market today and each has its own advantages or disadvantages. These are solid plates, slotted or “hybrid” electrodes / plates and mesh electrodes / plates.

These differences have a dramatic effect on power delivery inside of the cell. All three types of plates can deliver the electrical current to the water, but why are AlkaViva electrodes / plates the most efficient? Easy … our highly advanced Smart Electrode Technology!

Traditional Flat electrodes /Plates

A low quality flat plate has no way to organize or channel the current being delivered, meaning it has an inconsistent saturation of electrons. They move across the electrodes / plate finding the path of least resistance, often channeling together and are not effectively or evenly dispersed. This is like watering a garden and having the water run to the low spots and pool there. This results in an inconsistent delivery of power and less efficient / effective water ionization results.

Slotted electrodes /Plates

In contrast to a flat electrodes /plate, with slotted electrodes, there is a clear path for the electrons to travel in more predictable directions – effectively distributing the power in a consistent pattern. When we till our garden into rows and irrigate we are channeling the water to be delivered to the roots where it is needed most. The slotted electrodes /plate is more effective than the traditional flat electrode/ plate. Often has a less effective surface area, depending on the size of the slot.

Mesh electrodes /Plates

A mesh electrode /plate uses the same principle as the slotted plate, but improves upon it by providing cross-channeling to more evenly direct electron flow. The applied current more evenly saturates the plate, increasing the effective delivery of electrical current to create better alteration /ionization in your water. Can have a less effective surface area depending on the design of the mesh electrodes .

Long term research and development findings derived from a 1992 study by the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare indicate platinum to be the only entirely safe material for use in water ionizer plating/coating.

Two distinct methods – Plating (dipping) and Coating; are employed to apply the platinum surface to the titanium electrode/ plate:

Plating: Also known as Cladding or Dipping, plating is the process by which a titanium plate is submerged in a platinum solution. This is the most commonly used manufacturing process due to its cost efficiency.

Coating: Also known as Electroplating, coating is a technically advanced process designed to achieve a higher degree of consistency and uniformity.

The two biggest differences between plating and coating are:

• The amount of titanium crystals produced
• The surface coverage characteristics

The following examples visually illustrate two distinct platinum application techniques, Plating (dipping) and Coating (Electroplating).

Plating or Dipping

Both dust and voids are clearly visible

Prevention of Titanium Leaching

AlkaViva is able to totally prevent titanium leaching on the electrodes by two methods:

• Complete and uniform coverage. Our coating process surpasses all other processes in the water ionization industry to more completely and evenly cover the titanium plates with pure platinum, including all edges and all surfaces.
• More efficient use of power. This means we can apply less power more efficiently which creates far less heat and stress on the water ionizer electrode/plate during the electrical load phases.

View a certified analytical test result from the United States Environmental Protection Agency Primacy Laboratory for the State of Nevada showing that there is no plate leaching.

Optimal water ionization Results Without Additives

AlkaViva employs proprietary technologies which are able to achieve optimal water ionization-alkalizing and acidifying results without the use of (potentially harmful) solutions such as salt enhancers.

It isn’t ALL about Electrodes: Membranes

All water ionizers employ ion-selective membranes to separate the electrodes and enable the water to “ionically separate” the water into an alkaline and acidic stream. The membrane is absolutely critical in how a waterionizer performs. You can have a well-designed electrode/plate, powered optimally but if you have poor membranes, then you have poor water ionization performance.

AlkaViva’s Infusion Membranes are made in-house and are ultrasonically pressed, rather than chemically bonded. This provides you with a distinctly superior electrode membrane, designed to work specifically with our Smart Electrodes, giving you unmatched water ionization performance-pH, -ORP, H2.