Highly Stable Mixed Metal Oxide Anodes for Industrial

Electrochemical Processes
iopscience-iop-org.ezproxy.techlib.cz/article/10.1149/MA2016-02/22/1657

Satyananda Kishore Pilli, Bryan K Boggs

Abstract
The development of an efficient and stable anode for electro-oxidation of water or
electrochemical oxygen evolution has great potential in several commercially significant
industrial electrochemical processes. In many of these electrochemical processes the
oxygen evolution overpotential and physicochemical properties of the anode needs to be
tailored to achieve required current efficiency without compromising the durability
characteristics of the electrode. However, the existence of porous morphology in the surface
layer of many commercially available mixed metal oxide electrodes significantly impacts the
durability characteristics when employed in electroplating, electrowinning and metal recovery
processes. The generation of the gas within the pores of the surface layer disintegrates the
electrode material and leads to mechanical instability during extended periods of operation.
In addition, the mixed metal oxide electrodes with porous structure deteriorate rapidly in
certain organic solvents, such as methanol under acidic conditions.1 The rapid dissolution of
the titanium substrate occurs when this electrolyte enters through pores and cracks into the
active oxide coating layer, eventually resulting in the passivation of the titanium substrate
surface under electrochemical control or disintegration of the surface layer. Further,
electrochemical advanced oxidation process for wastewater treatment applications require
anodes having high oxygen evolution overpotential.2 Antimony-doped tin oxide3 and boron-
doped diamond4electrodes are considered as possible electrode materials for these
applications. However, the stability of the tin oxide based electrodes is limited and the cost
effective large scale production of boron-doped diamond coated titanium is yet to be
developed. For this instance, the right combination of physical and chemical properties is
crucial to the successful fabrication of a highly stable and efficient anode.

In this study, a fine distribution of the platinum group metal oxide and valve metal oxides
were achieved in different layers of the catalyst coating in order to achieve the required
combination of physical and electrochemical properties to suit a specific electrochemical
application.5 This fine distribution of the metal oxides in different layers of the coating avoids
the formation of porous structure and forms a compact and smooth layer and alters the
conductivity, oxygen evolution overpotential of the electrodes. Further, a specific metal oxide
layer was coated on top of the titanium substrate in order to reduce the oxidation of organic
additives such as levelers and brighteners used in electroplating processes and to suppress
the corrosion of the titanium substrate. These tailored modifications in turn greatly enhance
the electrochemical activity of the anode and improve the stability of the electrode.
Therefore, the developed anodes have required oxygen evolution overpotential and

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structural stability to sustain in different environments for extended periods. The developed
anodes have great potential in various electrochemical processes e.g., electroplating,
electrowinning, metal recovery, advanced oxidation process during wastewater treatment,
cathodic protection and water electrolysis.

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R. Kotz, S. Stucki, and B. Carcer, J. Appl. Electrochem., 21, 14, (1991).

F. Montilla, E. Morallon, A. De Battisti, and J. L. Vazquez, J. Phys. Chem. B, 108, 5036,

(2004).

M. Rajab, C. Heim, T. Letzel, J. E. Drewes, B. Helmreich, Chemosphere, 121, 47,

(2015).

M. J. Niksa, A. J. Nicksa, Multi-layer mixed metal oxide electrode and method for
making same, US Patent 8580091.

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