Abstract
The lifetime of high amperage cells with graphitized carbon cathodes is mainly determined by cathode wear. Several attempts have been made to investigate cathode wear in laboratory test cells, but the underlying mechanism is still a matter of discussion. This is reflected in the fact that test methods enabling the ranking of different commercial cathode materials are still to be developed. In the present paper we report on a laboratory test cell where the cathode is directly exposed to the electrolyte, which accelerates the wear rate by an order of magnitude relative to the wear rate in industrial cells. In this study three different commercial carbon cathode materials have been tested; graphitized carbon, high density graphitized carbon, and anthracitic carbon. No significant differences in wear rate could be detected under test conditions used. Possible reasons for this unexpected result are discussed, and suggestions for modifications of the test cell are provided.
