Low hydrogen overvoltage cathode and process for the production thereof

摘要

A cathode of sufficiently low hydrogen overvoltage is provided which is useful in electrolysis of water or of an aqueous alkali metal chloride solution such as a sodium chloride solution. A process for producing the cathode is also provided. The low hydrogen overvoltage cathode has an electroconductive base material coated with an alloy layer containing nickel and molybdenum, the alloy layer containing the nickel at a content ranging from 35 to 90% by weight and the molybdenum at a content ranging from 10 to 65% by weight. The alloy laser has an X-ray diffraction (CuK alpha line) pattern with a main peak at an angle ranging from 42 to 45 DEG with a peak half width ranging from 0.4 to 7 DEG . One process for producing the low hydrogen overvoltage cathode of the present invention involves plating an electroconductive base material by an arc discharge type ion plating method. Another process for producing the low hydrogen overvoltage cathode of the present invention involves co-electrodepositing nickel and molybdenum onto an electroconductive base material in a plating bath.