Gas permeable electrode for electrochemical system
AssigneeHughes Aircraft Company
InventorsFrank A. Ludwig, Carl W. Townsend
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An electrode apparatus adapted for use in electrochemical systems having an anode compartment and a cathode compartment in which gas and ions are produced and consumed in the compartments during generation of electrical current. The electrode apparatus includes a membrane for separating the anode compartment from the cathode compartment wherein the membrane is permeable to both ions and gas. The cathode and anode for the assembly are provided on opposite sides of the membrane. During use of the membrane-electrode apparatus in electrochemical cells, the gas and ions generated at the cathode or anode migrate through the membrane to provide efficient transfer of gas and ions between the anode and cathode compartments.
Claims28
An electrode apparatus adapted for use in an electrochemical system containing excess free electrolyte and having an anode compartment containing anode solution and a cathode compartment containing cathode solution of different composition than said anode solution, in which gas and ions are produced and consumed in said compartments during electrical current generation by said system, wherein said electrode apparatus comprises:
- a membrane for separation said anode compartment from said cathode compartment, said membrane having a cathode side and an anode side and comprising ion-permeable regions to provide transfer of ions while limiting the flow of solution between the cathode and anode sides of the membrane to thereby maintain said anode solution separate from said cathode solution, and gas-permeable regions to provide transfer of gases between the cathode and anode sides of the membrane;
- cathode means located in the cathode compartment on said cathode side of the membrane and in contact with said membrane for generating electric current;
- and
- anode means located in the anode compartment on said anode side of the membrane and in contact with said membrane for generation electric current wherein gas and ions generated at said membrane to provide transfer of said gas and ions between said anode and cathode compartments while limiting said flow of solution.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.