A review is given of the research and development work which has been carried out over the years to achieve the goal of a non-consumable anode for aluminium production. The materials that have been tested can be divided into two groups, ceramic oxides and metals. A metal anode will also be covered by an oxide layer, so in both cases the working anode is an electronically conducting oxide ceramic. All oxide materials have a certain solubility in the electrolyte, and as a consequence the materials corrode slowly, and the corrosion products are reduced into the aluminium produced. Even if the anode corrosion rate is slow (1-2 cm/year), this may lead to an unacceptable contamination of the aluminium. Possible ways to reduce the contamination is discussed. An example of how to treat experimental data is given.
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