Process of forming Raney alloy coated cathode for chlor-alkali cells

摘要

An improved cathode with a conductive metal core and a Raney-type catalytic surface predominantly derived from an adherent NiAl3 crystalline precursory outer portion of the metal core is disclosed. The precursory cuter portion preferably has molybdenum added to give a precursor alloy having the formula NixMo1-xAl3 where x is within the range of from about 5 to about 15 weight percent. Also disclosed is a method of producing a low overvoltage cathode. The method includes the steps of taking a Ni-Mo core or substrate having about 5-20 weight percentage of Mo and coating it with aluminum then heat treating to form a Ni-Mo-Al alloy with mostly NiAl3 structure and then leaching out the Al to produce a Raney surface.