A PROCESS FOR IMPROVING AN ELECTRODE

摘要

A process for increasing the active surface area of at least one electrode having a surface comprising a group VIII metal in an electrochemical cell, which also comprises at least one balancing electrode and an aqueous electrolyte which comprises nitrate ions, which comprises applying a sweeping voltage across the electrodes at a rate of at least 0.2 V/s, the sweeping voltage being from a lower voltage which is between the voltage at which hydrogen evolution occurs and -0.7 V to an upper voltage which is between -0.2 V and +0.3 V, all of the above voltages being with reference to a standard calomel reference electrode (VSCE).