KATALYTISK KROPP BESTAENDE AV EN VESENTLIGEN AMORF KOMPOSITION AV MINST TVA VAKUUMAVSATTA KOMPONENTER, SETT FOR DESS FRAMSTELLNING SAMT ANVENDNING AV KROPPEN SOM EN YTTRE BELEGGNING HOS EN ELEKTROD

摘要

A catalytic body which is substantially amorphous is formed from at least two materials vacuum deposited on a cool substrate or sprayed on a cool surface to provide a local order non-equilibrium structural configuration. The amorphous body comprises a composition of at least one metal and a second component which maintains the amorphous character of the composition. The body has an increased number and desired type of catalytically active sites. In most applications, the composition includes at least initially a component which is removed by leaching or vaporization to leave a rough surface with a large surface to volume ratio. The resulting composition is sometimes annealed to relax or modify the local structure thereof to provide a more reactive structural configuration. In an electrode form of the invention, the catalytic body is highly conductive, resistant to corrosion and degradation under current reversal and has low overvoltage characteristics when used in electrochemical cells.