What would be the results of these different methods of electrolysis, all using water (and maybe a little NaCl) as the electrolyte:

 

1. Iron anode, Iron cathode

2. Iron anode, Copper cathode

3. Copper anode, Iron cathode

4. Iron anode, carbon cathode

5. Carbon anode, Iron cathode

 

I am making Iron oxide and would like to know what really is going on and what methods do what.

 

Ken

the Cathode really makes little to no difference as that`s held in a reduction state so won`t have any corrosion at all, it`s the Anode that gets "attacked"

as that`s in an Oxidation state.

 

so for making iron oxide you need an Iron Anode, that cathode doesn`t really matter all that much, but you may as well use iron for that too (less chance of contamination).

could an anode be isolated (if in another experiment) with some kind of material that is not corosive and is may pass electric charge? so the athoer material with is gained from the electrolysis would jus stick to the surface of the non corosive material?

am i making any sence?

like the Porous pots? sure, that works quite well.

Ok. I used to iron (but possibly steel) hook screws in a salsa jar with a 9v battery to try and make Iron oxide. The electrolyte was water with with a small amount of NaCl. I left it going for at least 8 hours and it built up blue-green gunk (possibly Iron hydroxide) at the anode and a bit of Iron oxide built up on the surface of the water near cathode. Here are some pics: http://www.flickr.com/photos/10621876@N04/sets/72157603630450890/

 

I forgot to take a picture of the Iron hydroxide while it was still wet in the filter. It seems like I got a lot less out of this than it seemed I would after I turned off the electricity, also seemed like there was much more Iron hydroxide in the filter than the Iron oxide that was left after it dried overnight. I think I only got a few grams out of the whole thing.

 

Ken

 

Well, am I doing this correctly? And why am I ending up with so little Iron oxide? I'm now using a 12v AC to DC adapter and I am also trying evaporation instead of filtration.

 

Ken