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Author: Subject: More on PbO2 electrodes
dann2
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biggrin.gif posted on 2-10-2007 at 16:30
All you need is Iron (my foot)


Hello Quest,

New to this thread eh!!

My take on LD Anode is that amateurs have been having a hard time producing a long lasting anode.
Substrates tried have been Graphite, ceramic, plastic, cloth,
none! (massive anode) and Ti.
I am getting around to trying Ti. It needs a precoat to stop Ti oxide from forming and electrically isolating LD from Ti.

Some reading here>


http://www.geocities.com/CapeCanaveral/Campus/5361/basechem....

Iron has been mentioned in the patents and scientific literature usually to make a massive anode. I seen an anode once that used an iron wire as the substrate to make the anode but the iron wire was then ignored when anode was put into service.
(ie. it was a ,so called, massive anode)

Massive anodes are very very likely to crack and break.

Dann2

[Edited on 3-10-2007 by dann2]
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quest
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[*] posted on 4-10-2007 at 07:43


first try at alpha-LD making:
* I used 2 iron electrodes, 3*1 c"m in dimension.
* distance between electrodes = 4 c"m
* electrolyte = 700 m"l water, 5N NaOH, 27 gr' PbO. (not all PbO was dissolved)
* 2 Volts, 0.08 A.
* 30 degree celsius.

run this cell for two and a half hours with constant stirring.

result:
1) alot of metalic Pb on the cathode and on the bottom of the vessel.
2) a thin coat of black substance on the anode. this substance was very easy removed when scraped with my hand (I wore gloves of course).

when smudged on my glove the substance looked brown.


So why am I getting so much metalic Pb? is there any way to stop this lose of Pb ion?
And do you think the black substance was alpha-LD or just some iron salt?
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chloric1
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[*] posted on 4-10-2007 at 13:40


Quest the first problem I notice right away is your lack of tartarate. This complex might keep lead from plating on the cathode.

About iron, even the alpha coating is going to oxidize the iron once placed in a chloride or chlorate solution. Did you etch your iron prior to plating. I would dip the iron in a dilute acid such as HCl or H2SO4 prior to plating to give the LD a rough surface to "grab" . Better than that, concentrated HNO3 will give black iron oxide on steel passivating it. I wonder what would happen if you plated that?




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hashashan
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[*] posted on 6-10-2007 at 21:29


Quote:
Originally posted by dann2
Quote:
Originally posted by hashashan
Hi, did some alpha lead plating, weired thing... i only got a thin brown plating, couldnt get the thick black deposition. Anyone tried to plate alpha?



Hello Hashashan,

Never plated Alpha myself. I used to communicate with a guy who did lots of plating from a Lead Acetate bath, (made from vinegar and Lead metal). It plated OK but anodes were falling apart. The substate was ceramic.

You cannot plate Alpha onto Graphite for some reason or other.

What is your substrate and bath type.

Dann2


The substrate was Ti with some silver spots impregnated into it. The bath was a sodium plumbate bath just like quest used. The deposit was dark gray very thin but it caught thee substrate pretty well. Ill try some beta over it as soon as ill get home.

quest: you don't need any alpha for your anode, just plate beta over your iron. I know someone who did it.
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dann2
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[*] posted on 7-10-2007 at 04:18


Quote:
Originally posted by hashashan

The substrate was Ti with some silver spots impregnated into it. The bath was a sodium plumbate bath just like quest used. The deposit was dark gray very thin but it caught thee substrate pretty well. Ill try some beta over it as soon as ill get home.

quest: you don't need any alpha for your anode, just plate beta over your iron. I know someone who did it.


Hello Hashashan,

Did the Iron Substrate anode work for long when it went into a (Per)Chlorate cell?

Dann2
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hashashan
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[*] posted on 7-10-2007 at 04:55


The iron wasn't a substrate, It was later removed exposing a massive 5-7mm anode.
The cell was PH and temperature controlled for 6 days of slow deposition
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hashashan
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[*] posted on 11-10-2007 at 15:51


Well guys I think i've hit the jackpot. Still not sure though.
I took a piece of Ti, made some pitts in it with a hammer, plated with silver untill the holes were full, sanded the Ti untill the silver was only in the pits, plated with alpha PbO2 after that with beta PbO2.
I tested it for 40 minutes in a NaCl solution with 4 amps, the current dropped a bit but i believe that it was because of bad contacts and evaporation.

Ill check it in a full NaCl to NaClO4 cell and then ill post the results, Ill check one mole.

I belive that this concept of mine will work :)

Sorry for no images .. they will come if the anode will be proved to produce perchlorate
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hashashan
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[*] posted on 12-10-2007 at 08:49


Update : Installed the anode in a NaClO3 cell. It works, but it seems like most of my silver pits were lost. The current isn't high only 4.5 amps for a 20cm^2 anode ... which is really not enough.
Ill keep the electrolysis, the current is rising a bit hopefully it will hit the 5amps and last.

I guess the next update will be tomorrow.



5 minutes passed : too soon to be happy, a large chunk of the anode just cracked off. It still runs though.
I guess ill have to make holes through the Ti on the next try.

[Edited on 12-10-2007 by hashashan]
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dann2
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[*] posted on 12-10-2007 at 17:34
Silver (Per)Chlorate


Hello,

I would be inclined to keep away from Silver in the (Per)Chlorate cell.
Would there not be some risk or danger from Silver Chlorates and Perchlorates when products are being sued for Pyrotechnique purposes.

Actually I discussed this before and you said that since Ag
Chloride is insoluble all Ag ions will be ppt out of solution which was a good point.

Is there a risk from Ag with Chlorate and Perchlorate compounds in this situation do any of you guys know?




Still have not got back to the Anode stuff.

Cheers,
Dann2
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[*] posted on 12-10-2007 at 18:38


Copper isn't a hazard as near as I can tell. Sodium and potassium chlorate seem to be less soluble than those sorts of things, so it's difficult for them to even form.

Tim




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hashashan
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[*] posted on 13-10-2007 at 06:24


I already discussed the silver issue with dann and explained to him that because both silver chlorate and perchlorate are soluble and the chloride is not soluble there si no risk at all.

anode update: thje lead dioxide coating wasnt adherent enough and it passed away :(./ the dioxide just peeled off. I belive that next time ill have to make holes through the Ti this is very important.

question: what can i use as a surfacant to avoid bubles? I have never seen those matters that dann explains in his site, maybe there is a more common name to those surfacants? where can I get them?
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dann2
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[*] posted on 13-10-2007 at 17:16


Quote:
Originally posted by hashashan

question: what can i use as a surfacant to avoid bubles? I have never seen those matters that dann explains in his site, maybe there is a more common name to those surfacants? where can I get them?


If you cannot obtain surfactants you might try using mechanical movement to help eliminate bubbles.



Dann2
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hashashan
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[*] posted on 14-10-2007 at 01:45


I may obtain them but i have no idea where do you get them guys. Ant chance that they will be in a chem shop?

tried mechanical ... I used a magnettic stirrer but it just didnt knock off the bubbles
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[*] posted on 15-10-2007 at 19:01


1: Photographic wetting agent, from a photographic darkroom supplier, used to prevent waterspots on film.
2: "Spray Stick" or similar wetting agent from garden shops, used to improve adhesion and wetting of plant sprays.

I'm sure I've mentioned these before.

You will probably still need some mechanical agitation for best results.




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hashashan
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[*] posted on 16-10-2007 at 00:08


Ill try to find those where I live.
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Twospoons
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[*] posted on 16-10-2007 at 13:11


Don't forget that if you add a surfactant you will have to deal with some foaming.



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hashashan
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[*] posted on 16-10-2007 at 14:37


So if there will be foaming, whats wrong with just soap?
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dann2
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[*] posted on 16-10-2007 at 17:00


Hello,

There will also be decomposition products from use of surfactants. I have no idea what theses products will be or how quickly they will form or what effect they will have (or not have).
The original GSLD Anode patent discussed washing these's products out of tank efffluent using amyl (as far as I can remember) alcohol. This complicated things.


Dann2
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Twospoons
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[*] posted on 16-10-2007 at 18:51


Soap will form insoluble crud with lead ions - the lead salt of the fatty acid. The surfactant is supposed to be a non-ionic surfactant, probably so it wont react with the lead and drop out of solution!

Basically you are going to have to experiment with whatever you can lay hands on - mad science at its best!




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[*] posted on 16-10-2007 at 19:44


What of long alkyl quaternary amines?

Tim




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hashashan
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[*] posted on 16-10-2007 at 23:50


Experimentation is nice and all, but only untill it is getting close to lead salt spills.
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dann2
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[*] posted on 17-10-2007 at 07:30


Hello,

Total hair brained idea:
If you could connect a vacuum source to the plating tank and pull a vacuum every 5 minutes approx. this would get rid of bubbles. Far far too much trouble and 'hassle' I would think.

If adding a Lead Compound to neutralize acid and replenish Lead ions that releases CO2, the tank contents are very much more inclined to foam up all over the place if surfactant is used. A toxic foaming tide flows all over you bench if not controlled. Not a pretty sight.

Perhaps you can ignore bubbles forming on anode and let the Ti do its 'self healing trick' for any part of metal not covered with Lead Dioxide.

Another stunt that was spoke of in a patent was to add a quantity of glass beads to the plating tank and use stirring. The beads mechanically removed bubbles forming.

US 4,026,786 (1977) I think was the patent.
also US 4,159,231

Dann2

[Edited on 17-10-2007 by dann2]

[Edited on 17-10-2007 by dann2]
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hashashan
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[*] posted on 17-10-2007 at 07:38


Glass what? what are those?
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[*] posted on 17-10-2007 at 08:11


http://cgi.ebay.com/PERFORATED-GLASS-SODA-LIME-BEADS-6-mm-CO...

These things or something similar.
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hashashan
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[*] posted on 17-10-2007 at 08:24


But wont such beads flying around in the solution with enough speed to knock off the bubbles hurt my anode?
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