Erosion and Lifetime of Tungsten, Gold, and Nichrome Wire Anodes in an Ultracorona in Air

Anode erosion rates and lifetime-limiting parameters for different wire materials are investigated in a positive corona in atmospheric pressure air. The electrode wear is determined by measuring electrical resistance of the corona wire. Among the test materials are W, Ni-Cr alloys, and Au-coated stainless steels. The erosion rate of the Au-coated stainless steel and Ni-Cr alloy anode wires increases approximately exponentially with the total amount of transferred charge. A unified linear relationship between the ozone generation rate and wire diameter is suggested for typically used materials.