[vmelkon]

I have tried graphite from pens but these tend to break up in chunks after a while, whether I do electrolysis in water or electrolysis of a salt.
Why does the graphite break up?
Unfortunately, I can't remelt the graphite and cast it.

I have tried silicon, but to my surprise, it breaks up into chuncks as well. Also, it is not as good a conductor as graphite.

I found these small graphite pieces that are rod shaped. They seem to last longer than graphite from pens and the diameter is higher but again, no good.

So what is the deal? Why does graphite break up?
Should I try graphite rods from C or D cell ordinary zinc batteries?

[billnotgatez]

I have seen some success using cell battery carbon rod centers. I bet they still break down after a while. I also would bet that pencils have some other stuff in it that is not carbon.
The standard classroom systems I have seen use platinum wire electrodes with distilled water and a few drops of sulfuric acid.

[408]

welding electrodes

[vmelkon]

Isn't welding electrodes made mostly of tungsten? Wouldn't it form the oxide or chloride depending on what you electrolyze?

[408]

I found graphite with thin layer of copper.  peel copper and you have a foot of 1cm diameter graphite.  I ran all my chlorate cells with these.