Microrod structure and properties of Sb-doped Ti/SnO2 anodes prepared by magnetron sputtering

Cyclic voltammetry and chronopotentiometry have been used to study the Sb-doped Ti/SnO2 anodes prepared by magnetron sputtering. The results showed that magnetron sputtering condition influenced the surface morphology and the properties of the anodes. After the Ti substrate was tempered in Ar at 600 degrees C for 1 h, TiH1.5 on the surface generated from the acid etching was replaced by needle-like TiO2. The SnO2 coating on the above Ti substrate by magnetron sputtering with post-annealing was comprised of microrod and different with the traditional Ti/SnO2 anode. The accelerated service life test showed that the microrod SnO2 anode gained the longest service time. The anode exhibited oscillations in the chronopotentiometry curves, and the microrod SnO2 coating almost dissolved after the life test. A model of layer-by-layer degradation mechanism for the anode was proposed.