This paper is ai med at increasing the lifeti me of the
gas diffusion electrode whichloads at higher current densities.Thegas
diffusion electrode was prepared fromactive carbon,acetylene black and PTFE suspension by rolling and sintering in inertgases(N2or CO2).The effects of sintering procedure onthe
microstructure andlong-termstability of
gas diffusion electrode foroxygen reductionin alkaline electrolyte without application of electrocatalysts were examined.The thermal behavior of the elec-trode materials was investigated by TG-DTA.The surface morphology of the gas diffusion electrode was characterized by SEM,Hg-porosi metry and permeation.The electrochemical behavior of electrode was determined by means of polarization curves in al-kaline electrolyte.Experi mental results reveal that the sintering procedure has a significant effect onthelong-termstability of thegas diffusion electrode.Theincreaseinthelifeti me of the gas diffusion electrode may be attributed to the sintering procedure thatleads to the coagulation between particle of both PTFEand carbon,whichfurther results in the stability of the microstructure ofgas diffusion electrode.Furthermore,small molecular polymer and disperser in polytetrafluoroethylene(PTFE) suspension canbe decomposed to serve as pore former during heating process,resulting in the even pore distribution and higher accessibility ofthe surface areas to the reactants and products.The results contribute to opti mization of the electrode manufacturing technologyas well.