Electrochemical study of a tin(IV) oxide-antimony pentoxide semiconducting glaze

Small electrodes of semiconducting glaze, containing around 30% SnO//2 doped with Sb//2O//5, have been prepared by peeling electrical insulators and have been put in contact with Na//2SO//4 solution or with metallic gold. Alternating or direct current-voltage curves at temperatures between ambient and 60 degree C, current-time curves, harmonic analysis, and SEM micrographs of the corroded areas are reported. This study was made to simulate the corrosion of high voltage insulators with resistive glazes, operating in salt-contaminated areas and also to obtain a better understanding of conduction in mainly amorphous systems which are heterogeneous on a very small scale.