Analysis of elements on the surface deposit of titanium anode used in the process of sodium chloride electrolysis

Analysis of elements deposited on the surface layer of titanium anode was carried out with the aim of establishing their consumption during electrolysis process of natrium chloride solution. Mass spectrometry and a neutron activation method associated with gamma-spectrometry were used and have permitted to find out the behaviour of different elements on titanium surface layers. Mass spectrometry was used in the analysis of the titanium support. The elements K, Sn, Zn were found to be present in 0.02% only the Fe content was 0.06%. Other elements were under 0.005% and Sc, Y, Ag, Cd, In Bi were less than 0.0001%. The error of measurement is in the order of +-10% within concentration limits up to 0.02% and +-20% for concentrations within 0.001-0.0001%. The following elements were quantitatively measured by means of neutron activation analysis for the new and spent electrode: 0.35; 0.15% K, 0.83; 0.03% Sn, 0.1% Zn detected as: 42K, sup(123m)Sn, sup(117m)Sn, 65Zn. Other elements found are less than 0.0001%: Sb, Mo, U, Ru and were detected as: 124Sb, 99Mo, 99Tc, 239Np, 105Ru. As for the quantitative results there is an agreement between activation analysis and mass spectrometry. (T.G.)