Differences in the electrochemical behavior of ruthenium and iridium oxide in electrocatalytic coatings of activated titanium anodes prepared by the sol–gel procedure

Abstract

The electrochemical characteristics of Ti0.6Ir0.4O2/Ti and Ti0.6Ru0.4O2/Ti anodes prepared by the sol–gel procedure from the corresponding oxide sols, obtained by force hydrolysis of the corresponding metal chlorides, were compared. The voltammetric properties in H2SO4 solution indicate that Ti0.6Ir0.4O2/Ti has more pronounced pseudocapacitive characteristics, caused by proton-assisted, solid state surface redox transitions of the oxide. At potentials negative to 0.0 VSCE, this electrode is of poor conductivity and activity, while the voltammetric behavior of the Ti0.6Ru0.4O2/Ti electrode is governed by proton injection/ejection into the oxide structure. The Ti0.6Ir0.4O2/Ti electrode had a higher electrocatalytical activity for oxygen evolution, while the investigated anodes were of similar activity for chlorine evolution. The potential dependence of the impedance characteristics showed that the Ti0.6Ru0.4O2/Ti electrode behaved like a capacitor over a wider potential range than the Ti0.6Ir0.4O2/Ti electrode, with fully-developed pseudocapacitive properties at potentials positive to 0.60 VSCE. However, the impedance characteristics of the Ti0.6Ir0.4O2/Ti electrode changed with increasing potential from resistor-like to capacitor-like behavior.

Keywords

• activated titanium anodes
• sol–gel procedure
• ruthenium and iridium oxide
• electrochemical impedance spectroscopy
• pseudocapacitance