Use of iridium oxide films as hydrogen gas evolution cathodes in aqueous media

Hydrous iridium oxide films are highly resistant to reduction under cathodic, hydrogen gas evolution, conditions in aqueous acid or base. Such behavior is not in agreement with simple thermodynamic (Pourbaix) data based on the assumption that the system behaves in a reversible manner. The barrier to reduction is attributed, as discussed earlier for RuO2, to the involvement of high-energy intermediates (iridium atoms or microclusters of same) which can only be generated at unusually negative overpotential values evidently far into the hydrogen gas evolution region. Thermally prepared IrO2/Ti electrodes are possible candidates for hydrogen gas evolution cathodes in water electrolysis cells; however, under extended operating conditions, the performance of these cathodes was found to deteriorate due to gradual shedding of the active oxide layer.