Electrochemical properties of Fe-Ni-Zr active cathodes processed by VIM technique for hydrogen evolution in chlor-alkali electrolysis

The Fe-Ni-Zr active cathodes have been successfully prepared by vacuum induction melting (VIM) technique and used to be active cathodes in chlor-alkali industry for the first time. The alloys are found to be dendritic structure, and Zirconium content has significant impact on the polarization characteristics of the Fe-Ni-Zr active cathodes. The cathodes exhibit excellent resistivity against repeated power interruptions and can be oxidized and deoxidized easily for hydrogen evolution. The active cathodes are deactivated by the oxidation of the gaseous or adsorbed.