Catalytically active porous nickel electrodes
AssigneeE. I. Du Pont de Nemours and Company
InventorChristopher Roderick S. Needes
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Abstract
An improved electrode having a porous nickel surface layer of greater than 75 microns in thickness and at least 11% in porosity is produced by a process which includes interdiffusing aluminum and nickel at a temperature of at least 660.degree. C. to form a nickel-aluminum alloy layer from which aluminum is subsequently selectively dissolved. When used as a cathode in an electrolytic cell for producing hydrogen, chlorine and caustic from brine, the improved electrode exhibits exceptionally low hydrogen overvoltage.
Claims8
An improved electrode for use as a hydrogen-evolution cathode is an electrolytic cell, the electrode being of the type that has a continuous surface layer of active porous Raney nickel in electrical contact with a conductive metal core, the improvement comprising a porous Raney nickel surface layer having a thickness between 100 and 400 microns, an average porosity of at least 11%, and an average agglomerate size of at least 35 microns.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.