Question 1

What is a titanium electrode?

Accepted Answer

A titanium electrode is an insoluble anode made from a commercially pure titanium substrate, usually Grade 1 or Grade 2 to ASTM B265, with a thin catalytic coating of mixed metal oxides, platinum, or lead dioxide. The titanium carries current and resists corrosion; the coating supplies the catalytic surface where chlorine or oxygen evolves.

Question 2

Is MMO the same thing as DSA?

Accepted Answer

Yes, in everyday trade use. DSA stands for dimensionally stable anode and describes the behavior: the anode keeps its shape instead of dissolving. MMO stands for mixed metal oxide and describes the coating chemistry. Almost every industrial DSA sold today is an MMO-coated titanium anode, so the terms are used interchangeably.

Question 3

Which coating should I choose for hypochlorite versus electrowinning?

Accepted Answer

Hypochlorite and chlor-alkali service call for ruthenium-based MMO, because ruthenium keeps chlorine overpotential low. Electrowinning, copper foil, and acidic plating baths evolve oxygen and call for iridium-tantalum MMO, because iridium resists oxidative dissolution far better in acid.

Question 4

How long does a coated titanium anode last?

Accepted Answer

Two to ten years at rated conditions. Service life is set by current density, coating loading, temperature, and electrolyte chemistry rather than by calendar age. Halving current density typically multiplies coating life by three to five times; running above the rated density cuts it sharply.

Question 5

Can a worn titanium anode be recoated?

Accepted Answer

Usually yes, if the substrate is still sound. The old coating is stripped, the surface is re-etched, and a new coating is applied. Recoating typically costs 30 to 50 percent less than a new anode, and the titanium base often serves several coating cycles before it needs replacing.

Question 6

How do I verify the coating loading a supplier claims?

Accepted Answer

Ask for the loading in grams per square meter, measured by weight gain on a witness coupon or by XRF thickness mapping, plus the layer count and the accelerated life test result for the production batch. A certificate that lists only a coating trade name does not verify anything.

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