The Discharge Mechanism of Certain Oxide Electrodes

Abstract

The discharges of , , and electrodes were studied and are compared with similar discharges of the electrode. The overpotentials of and electrodes at small current densities are linear functions of the current density, but is like in having a square‐root relation. It is considered that the first step in the electrode reaction is reduction to a lower oxide or hydroxide and that the subsequent disposal of this is rate‐determining. The square‐root relation is correlated with the existence of an unstable valence state between the initial and final products. A few experiments with and electrodes were carried out, but these were less satisfactory as current‐producing electrodes than the others.