ABSTRACT
The first electrode used for the evolution of oxygen from water was a thin gold wire, used by the two Dutchmen, Paets van Troostwijk and Deiman in 1789 (de Levie 1999). Two gold wires were placed close together in an inverted water filled glass cylinder and connected to a powerful electrostatic generator based on friction. The electric discharges caused gas evolution on both electrodes and when enough gas had been produced, the gap between the gold electrodes was above the water level, causing the next electrostatic discharge to form a spark between the wires. The spark ignited the oxygen-hydrogen mixture, recombining it to water and the experiment could then be repeated.
