Investigation on the formation of RuO2 film electrode by secondary ion mass spectrometry

The formation of thermally prepared RuO film electrode from hydrated RuCl precursor on titanium and nickel supports was followed as a function of the calcination temperature by Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry (SIMS). The identification of metal, metal oxide and cluster ions as well as organic fragments can contribute substantially to the understanding of the process of film evolution. Concentration depth profiles for some selected species showed that the support material can strongly influence the structure of the coating. Diffusion profiles of the noble metal showed significant differences for different support materials. The results are in agreement with - and complementary to - those of previous thermoanalytical investigations.