Investigation of the formation of RuO2-based mixed oxide coatings by secondary ion mass spectrometry

Abstract

The evolution of a RuO₂–TiO₂ film electrode has been studied as a function of temperature by secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS). The coating mixture prepared on a titanium support from an isopropyl alcohol solution of hydrated ruthenium chloride and titanium diisopropoxide bispentane-2,4-dionate precursors was heated to various temperatures and analysed by SIMS. Concentration depth profiles of some selected species (eg. Cl^–, O^–, CIO^–, TiO ⁺ and Ru⁺) were used to monitor the process of film evolution and to identify surface segregation phenomena resulting from the increased dispersity of the noble metal. The results obtained are complementary to previous measurements acquired by thermoanalytical and emission FTIR methods.