Oxygen evolution

Oxygen evolution occurs on nickel oxide electrodes throughout charge, on overcharge, and on standby. It is the anodic process in the self-discharge reaction of the positive electrode in nickel-cadmium cells. Early work in the field has been reviewed [9], No significant new work has been reported in recent years. 

An increasing amount of attention is being given to oxides as possible anodes for oxygen evolution because of the importance of this reaction in water electrolysis. In this connection, numerous studies have been carried out on noble metal oxides, spinel and perovskite type oxides, and other oxides such as lead and manganese dioxide. Kinetic parameters for the oxygen evolution reaction at a variety of single oxides and mixed oxides are shown in Table 3. 

Kinetic parameters for the oxygen evolution reaction on various oxides 

Oxide Electrode11 Electrolyte 1 Tafel slope (mV decade-1) Reaction order1 Ref. 

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Silver reduces the oxygen evolution potential at the anode, which reduces the rate of corrosion and decreases lead contamination of the cathode. Lead—antimony—silver alloy anodes are used for the production of thin copper foil for use in electronics. Lead—silver (2 wt %), lead—silver (1 wt %)—tin (1 wt %), and lead—antimony (6 wt %)—silver (1—2 wt %) alloys ate used as anodes in cathodic protection of steel pipes and stmctures in fresh, brackish, or seawater. The lead dioxide layer is not only conductive, but also resists decomposition in chloride environments. Silver-free alloys rapidly become passivated and scale badly in seawater. Silver is also added to the positive grids of lead—acid batteries in small amounts (0.005—0.05 wt %) to reduce the rate of corrosion. 

Because of the delay in decomposition of the peroxide, oxygen evolution follows carbon dioxide sorption. A catalyst is required to obtain total decomposition of the peroxides 2 wt % nickel sulfate often is used. The temperature of the bed is the controlling variable 204°C is required to produce the best decomposition rates (18). The reaction mechanism for sodium peroxide is the same as for lithium peroxide, ie, both carbon dioxide and moisture are required to generate oxygen. Sodium peroxide has been used extensively in breathing apparatus. 

There are other parallel electrochemical reactions that can occur at the electrodes within the cell, lowering the overall efficiency for CIO formation. Oxygen evolution accounts for about 1—3% loss in the current efficiency on noble metal-based electrodes in the pH range 5.5—6.5. 

If the potential of a metal surface is moved below line a, the hydrogen reaction line, cathodic hydrogen evolution is favored on the surface. Similarly a potential below line b, the oxygen reaction line, favors the cathodic oxygen reduction reaction. A potential above the oxygen reaction line favors oxygen evolution by the anodic oxidation of water. In between these two lines is the region where water is thermodynamically stable. 

Oxygen Evolution Requires the Accumulation of Four Oxidizing Equivalents in PSII... 

A mixture of A,A-dimethylcyclohexylmethylamine (49.4 g, 0.35 mole. Chapter 2, Section I), 30% hydrogen peroxide (39.5 g, 0.35 mole) and 45 ml of methanol is placed in a 500-ml Erlenmeyer flask, covered with a watch glass, and allowed to stand at room temperature. After 2 hours, and again after an additional 3 hours, 30% hydrogen peroxide (39.5-g portions each time) is added with swirling. The solution is allowed to stand at room temperature for an additional 30 hours, whereupon excess peroxide is destroyed by the cautious addition (swirling) of a small amount of platinum black. Cessation of oxygen evolution indicates complete decomposition of the excess peroxide. 

In the case of chromium in 1 N H2SO4 transpassivity occurs at about 1 1 V (below the potential for oxygen evolution, since the equilibrium potential in acid solutions at pH 0 is 1 23 V and oxygen evolution requires an appreciable overpotential) and is associated with oxidation of chromium to dichromate anions ... 

On the other hand, metals such as Ta, Nb, Ti, Zr, Al, etc. (the valve metals ) do not exhibit transpassive behaviour, and in appropriate electrolyte solutions film growth at high fields rather than corrosion and/or oxygen evolution is the predominant reaction thus aluminium can be anodised to 500 V or more in an ammonium borate buffer titanium can be anodised to about 400 V in formic acid and tantalum can be anodised to high voltages in most acids, including hydrochloric acid. 

Pavlov, D. and Rogachev, T. Dependence of the Phase Composition of The Anodic Layer on Oxygen Evolution and Anodic Corrosion of Lead Electrode in Lead Dioxide Potential Region , Electrochim. Acta., 23, 1237 (1978)... 

Duncan and Frankenthal report on the effect of pH on the corrosion rate of gold in sulphate solutions in terms of the polarization curves. It was found that the rate of anodic dissolution is independent of pH in such solutions and that the rate controlling mechanism for anodic film formation and oxygen evolution are the same. For the open circuit behaviour of ferric oxide films on a gold substrate in sodium chloride solutions containing low iron concentration it is found that the film oxide is readily transformed to a lower oxidation state with a Fe /Fe ratio corresponding to that of magnetite . 

Platinum has also had its share of attention in recent years. The effect of phosphoric acid concentration on the oxygen evolution reaction kinetics at a platinum electrode using 0-7 m-17-5 m phosphoric acid at 25°C has been studied with a rotating disc electrode . The characteristics of the ORR are very dependent on phosphoric acid concentration and H2O2 is formed as an intermediate reaction. Also, platinum dissolution in concentrated phosphoric acid at 176 and 196°C at potentials up to 0-9 (SHE) has been reported . 

Once the protective oxide film is formed current flow may then only occur by oxygen evolution, which in pure aqueous solutions may be represented as... 

This anode half reaction is highly irreversible and is accompanied by an appreciable overvoltage usually the potential of oxygen evolution is about 0 5 to 0 7 V higher than E . 

The composition of the mixed metal oxide may well vary over wide limits depending on the environment in which the anode will operate, with the precious metal composition of the mixed metal oxide coating adjusted to favour either oxygen or chlorine evolution by varying the relative proportions of iridium and ruthenium. For chlorine production RuOj-rich coatings are preferred, whilst for oxygen evolution IrOj-rich coatings are utilised. ... 

In normal battery operation several electrochemical reactions occur on the nickel hydroxide electrode. These are the redox reactions of the active material, oxygen evolution, and in the case of nickel-hydrogen and nickel-metal hydride batteries, hydrogen oxidation. In addition there are parasitic reactions such as the corrosion of nickel current collector materials and the oxidation of organic materials from separators. The initial reaction in the corrosion process is the conversion of Ni to Ni(OH)2. 

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