Surface Structure of Ruthenium Dioxide Electrodes and Kinetics of Chlorine Evolution

Abstract

The kinetics of chlorine evolution on ruthenium dioxide based films supported on titanium and quartz is investigatedas a function of the intimate structure of the catalyst surface. The latter is modified by changing the temperature of pyrolysisof RuCl3 and is characterized by measuring the amount of charge exchanged with the solution when the potential isvaried within a range where no electrode reaction takes place. The results allow distinguishing between macro- and micro-roughnessof the surface. Chlorine evolution appears to be sensitive to the former but not to the latter.