MULTI-COATED ELECTRODE AND METHOD OF MAKING

• US 20090288856A1
• Filed: 04/29/2009
• Published: 11/26/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/24/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Metso Outotec Finland OY (Metso Outotec Oyj)
• Original Assignee: Phelps Dodge Industries Incorporated (Freeport-Mcmoran Copper & Gold Incorporated)
• Inventors: Morimitsu, Masatsugu, Sandoval, Scot P., Waite, Michael D., Clayton, Casey J.
• Granted Patent: US 8,022,004 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 174/126.200
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 18/1216 Metal oxides C23C18/1212 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 18/1225 Deposition of multilayers of inorganic material
• CPC Class Codes: C25B 11/091 consisting of at least one catalytic element and at least one catalytic compound; consisting of two or more catalytic elements or catalytic compounds
• CPC Class Codes: C25B 11/093 at least one noble metal or noble metal oxide and at least one non-noble metal oxide
• CPC Class Codes: C25C 1/12 of copper
• CPC Class Codes: C25C 7/02 Electrodes consumable anodes for the refining the metals C25C1/00 - C25C5/00; Connections thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2004/027 Negative electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/8652 as mixture
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/8657 layered
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/9016 Oxides, hydroxides or oxygenated metallic salts
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/0247 characterised by the form characterised by a channel configuration H01M8/0258
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/50 Fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 70/50 Manufacturing or production processes characterised by the final manufactured product

Abstract

Various embodiments provide an electrode comprising a conductive substrate, a first layer of a mixture comprising iridium oxide in a crystalline phase and tantalum oxide in an amorphous phase on a portion of an outer surface of the conductive substrate, and a second layer of the mixture comprising iridium oxide in an amorphous phase and tantalum oxide in an amorphous phase on an outer surface of the first layer.

Claims

1. An electrode comprising:

a conductive member;

a first conductive layer over at least a portion of said conductive member and in electrical communication with said conductive member, said first conductive layer comprising a compound in a crystalline phase; and

a second conductive layer over at least a portion of said first conductive layer and said conductive member and in electrical communication with said conductive member and said first conductive layer, said second conductive layer comprising said compound in an amorphous phase.

2. The electrode according to claim 1, wherein said compound is iridium oxide.

3. The electrode according to claim 2, wherein said first layer comprises said iridium oxide in a crystalline phase and said second layer comprises said iridium oxide in an amorphous phase.

4. An electrode comprising:

a conductive substrate;

a first layer of a mixture of iridium oxide and tantalum oxide, said iridium oxide in a crystalline phase, said mixture coated on a surface of said conductive substrate and in electrical communication with said conductive substrate; and

a second layer of said mixture of iridium oxide and tantalum oxide, said iridium oxide substantially in amorphous phase, said second layer coated on said first layer and in electrical communication with said conductive substrate and said first layer.

5. The electrode according to claim 4 further comprising at least one copper member in electrical communication with said conductive substrate.

6. The electrode according to claim 5 further comprising a metallic coating layered on and in electrical communication with said at least one copper member, said metallic layer in electrical communication with said conductive substrate.

7. The electrode according to claim 6, wherein at least one of said metallic coating and said conductive substrate comprises titanium.

8. The electrode according to claim 4, wherein iridium to tantalum molar ratio of said mixture is in mole ratio from about 70:

30 to about 90;

10.

9. The electrode according to claim 4, wherein iridium to tantalum molar ratio of said mixture is in mole ratio from about 80:

20.

10. The electrode according to claim 4, wherein said first layer has been heated to a temperature above a glass transition temperature of said iridium oxide.

11. The electrode according to claim 4, wherein said second layer has been heated to a temperature below a glass transition temperature of said iridium oxide.

12. A method of making an electrode for an electrolytic cell, said method comprising:

combining an iridium solution and a tantalum solution to produce a precursor solution;

coating a surface of a conductive substrate with said precursor solution;

heating said precursor solution above glass transition temperature of iridium oxide to produce a crystalline iridium oxide containing layer;

coating said crystalline iridium oxide containing layer with said precursor solution; and

heating said precursor solution below said glass transition temperature of said iridium oxide to produce an amorphous iridium oxide containing layer.

13. The method according to claim 12, further comprising attaching said conductive substrate to a plurality of conductive rods.

14. The method according to claim 13, further comprising connecting said plurality of rods to a hanger bar.

15. The method according to claim 12, further comprising repeating said coating and said heating said precursor solution a plurality of times to produce said crystalline iridium oxide containing layer.

16. The method according to claim 12, further comprising repeating said coating and said heating said precursor solution a plurality of times to produce said amorphous iridium oxide containing layer.

17. The method according to claim 12 wherein said amorphous iridium oxide containing layer is substantially in an amorphous phase.

19. The method according to claim 12 wherein below said glass transition temperature is a temperature from about 360°

C. to about 430°

C.

20. An electrolyte circuit comprising:

a container holding an electrolyte solution;

a cathode in contact with said electrolyte solution;

an anode comprising a first conductive layer comprising a compound in a crystalline phase and a second conductive layer over at least a portion of said first conductive layer, said second conductive layer comprising said compound in an amorphous phase; and

a power source coupled to said cathode and said anode.