A nondestructive method, and associated apparatus, are provided for determining the grain flow of the grains in a convex curved, textured polycrystalline surface. The convex, curved surface of a polycrystalline article is aligned in a horizontal x-ray diffractometer and a monochromatic, converging x-ray beam is directed onto the curved surface of the polycrystalline article so that the converging x-ray beam is diffracted by crystallographic planes of the grains in the polycrystalline article. The diffracted x-ray beam is caused to pass through a set of horizontal, parallel slits to limit the height of the beam and thereafter. The linear intensity of the diffracted x-ray is measured, suing a linear position sensitive proportional counter, as a function of position in a direction orthogonal to the counter so as to generate two dimensional data. An image of the grains in the curved surface of the polycrystalline article is provided based on the two-dimensional data.

The present invention relates to highly corrosion resistant components for use in an electrochemical cell. Specifically, these components are resistant to corrosion under very extreme conditions such as exposure to aqua regia in the presence of a constant current density of 100mA/m{sup 2}. The components are comprised of an iridium-platinum alloy that comprises less than 30% iridium. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the iridium-platinum alloy comprises 15-20% iridium. In another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the iridium-platinum alloy is deposited on the surface of an electrochemical cell component by magnetron sputtering. The present invention also relates to a method for conducting an electrochemical reaction in the presence of highly corrosive acids under a high degree of polarization wherein the electrochemical cell comprises a component, preferably the anode, containing an iridium-platinum alloy that comprises less than 30% iridium.