Reinforced membrane, electrochemical cell and electrolysis process

The electrochemical cell of claim 23 wherein said membrane is in contact with at least one of said anode and said cathode.

In a reinforced fluorinated cation-exchange polymer membrane which is impermeable to hydraulic flow of liquid, said membrane comprising at least first and second layers of fluorinated polymers whose functional groups are --CFZ--COOM groups or --CFQ--SO.sub.3 M groups, where M is H, Na, K or NH.sub.4, Z is F, CF.sub.3 or CF.sub.2 Cl, and Q is F, Cl, C.sub.1 to C.sub.10 perfluoroalkyl or CF.sub.2 Cl, said layers when adjacent being in adherent contact with one another, said first layer being of polymer whose functional groups are --CFZ--COOM groups and said second layer being of polymer whose functional groups are --CFQ--SO.sub.3 M groups, the improvement wherein said membrane has sacrificial elements partially embedded in the outer surface of said second layer such that after removal of said sacrificial elements there are voids at the outer surface of said second layer characterized by a void volume of 5 to 40% and an open area of 15 to 100%, and wherein said membrane has reinforcement strands partially or completely embedded therein, and each said polymer with --CFZ--COOM groups has an equivalent weight of 670 to 1500 and each said polymer with --CFQ--SO.sub.3 M groups has an equivalent weight of 600 to 1500.

In a reinforced fluorinated polymer membrane which is impermeable to hydraulic flow of liquid, said membrane comprising at least first and second layers of fluorinated polymers whose functional groups are --CFZ--COOR groups or --CFQ--SO.sub.2 X groups, where R is lower alkyl, X is F or Cl, and Z is F, CF.sub.3 or CF.sub.2 Cl, and Q is F, Cl, C.sub.1 to C.sub.10 perfluoroalkyl or CF.sub.2 Cl, said layers when adjacent being in adherent contact with one another, said first layer being of polymer whose functional groups are --CFZ--COOR groups and said second layer being of polymer whose functional groups are --CFQ--SO.sub.2 X groups, the improvement wherein said membrane has sacrificial elements partially embedded in the outer surface of said second layer such that after removal of said sacrificial elements there are voids at the outer surface of said second layer characterized by a void volume of 5 to 40% and an open area of 15 to 100%, and wherein said membrane has reinforcement strands partially or completely embedded therein, and each said polymer with --CFZ--COOR groups has an equivalent weight of 670 to 1500 and each said polymer with --CFQ--SO.sub.2 X groups has an equivalent weight of 600 to 1500.

In a reinforced fluorinated polymer membrane which is impermeable to hydraulic flow of liquid, said membrane comprising at least first and second layers of fluorinated polymers whose functional groups are --CFZ--COOR groups or --CFQ--SO.sub.2 X groups, where R is lower alkyl, X is F or Cl, Z is F, CF.sub.3 or CF.sub.2 Cl, and Q is F, Cl, C.sub.1 to C.sub.10 perfluoroalkyl or CF.sub.2 Cl, said layers when adjacent being in adherent contact with one another, said first layer being of polymer whose functional groups are --CFZ--COOR groups and said second layer being of polymer whose functional groups are --CFQ--SO.sub.2 X groups, the improvement wherein said membrane has voids at the outer surface of said second layer characterized by a void volume of 5 to 40% and an open area of 15 to 100%, and wherein said membrane has reinforcement strands partially or completely embedded therein, and each said polymer with --CFZ--COOR groups has an equivalent weight of 670 to 1500 and each said polymer with --CFQ--SO.sub.2 X groups has an equivalent weight of 600 to 1500.