Influence of electrochemical processing on the composition and microstructure of chemical-vapor deposited Ru and RuO2 nanocrystalline films

Modifications of nanocrystalline RuO2 and Ru films, chemical-vapor deposited on Ti substrates, are studied in aqueous media, at the initial stages of electrocatalytic O2 evolution. The microstructure, composition and morphology of the films are examined ex situ by X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) and atomic force microscopy (AFM). Results concerning the influence of electrochemical processing on the chemico-physical properties and electrode behavior are presented and discussed.