Electrochemical behaviour of the oxide covered antimony

The electrochemical behaviour of the system Sb-oxide layer-0.05 M H₂SO₄ was investigated by impedance, photopolarization and by recording voltammetric characteristics in the presence of the redox couple K₃Fe(CN)₆-K₄Fe(CN)₆ from 1.6 to ?0.86 V vs mercury mercurous sulphate electrode. Attention has been concentrated on potentiodynamically formed and stabilized films whose thickness enabled the development of the space charge. It will be shown that the mechanism of charge transfer in the Sb-oxide layer-electrolyte system having a given form of current potential characteristics, is dependent on the semiconducting properties of the oxide layer, which can be modified owing to the breaking of bonds and the formation of new ones. Impedance and photoelectric polarization have proved very sensitive and suitable for the investigation of structural and phase change of the solid phase in situ with potential changes in continuous polarization.