Abstract: A cathode especially useful in the electrolysis of aqueous solutions of alkali metal halides consisting essentially of an electrically conducting substrate and a heterogeneous coating containing a precious metal and/or a precious metal derivative; said heterogeneous coating consisting of at least two coats a and b, coat a being in contact with the substrate and containing at least one of the constituents selected from precious metals, precious metal oxides, or mixtures of precious metal oxides and at least one oxide selected from the oxides of nickel, cobalt, iron, titanium, hafnium, niobium, tantalum or zirconium, and coat b in contact with the electrolyte and with a coat a and selected from a metal of high covering power; and the process of making the cathode.