The potentiodynamic behavior of nickel-chromium (80:20) alloy electrodes in 0.10 N sodium hydroxide

Cyclic voltammetry is used to study the current-potential characteristics of a nickel-chromium alloy in alkaline solutions. These results are compared to those obtained with pure nickel anodes in the same background electrolyte. The electrochemical behavior of the alloy is qualitatively similar to that of the pure nickel electrode. However, a “higher degree of disorder” of the Ni(II)-Ni(III) oxide layer structure is proposed to be present on top of the alloy. This structure accounts for the higher reactivity to carbohydrate oxidation and the higher electrochemical charge under the Ni(II) oxidative wave observed with the alloy electrode. Waves assigned to chromium oxidation are only observed during the first potential scan. The surface final distribution of Ni(II) oxidation products at nickel-chromium alloys is different from that of pure nickel. We consider that this is due to the influence of chromium on the electrochemistry of the alloy.