Characterisation of DSA®-type coatings with nominal composition Ti/Ru0.3Ti(0.7-x)SnxO2 prepared via a polymeric precursor

A ternary coating with the nominal composition Ru0.3Ti(0.7-x)SnxO2 deposited on a Ti substrate has been prepared by thermal decomposition of RuCl3 and polymeric precursors of tin and titanium (400 degreesC) (Pechini method). Surface morphology, microstructure and electrocatalytic activity of the coating were investigated by cyclic voltammetry, X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy and energy-dispersive X-ray spectrometry. The aim of this work was to prepare electrochemical devices based on ternary oxides showing high stability during the oxygen evolution reaction. Accelerated life tests, performed at 1.0 mol dm(-3) in aqueous HClO4, with an anodic current of 400 mA cm(-2), showed that the polymeric precursor maintains both a good yield between nominal and experimental composition and favours higher coating stability (5 x) compared with a traditional method of thermal decomposition of the chloride precursor, The deactivation mechanism is also discussed. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.