Electrolytic cell employing gas diffusion electrode

An electrolytic cell for sodium hydroxide production employing a gas diffusion electrode, which comprises an ion-exchange membrane partitioning the electrolytic cell into an anode chamber including an anode and a cathode chamber including a gas diffusion cathode for producing by electrolysis chlorine gas and sodium hydroxide in the anode chamber and the cathode chamber, respectively, said electrolytic cell further comprising a hydrophilic liquid-permeable material distinct from the gas diffusion cathode and having a thickness of from 0.01 to 10 mm, said hydrophilic liquid-permeable material being interposed between the ion-exchange membrane and the gas diffusion cathode.

An electrolytic cell employing a gas diffusion electrode, which comprises an ion-exchange membrane partitioning the electrolytic cell into an anode chamber including an anode and a cathode chamber including a gas diffusion cathode having a front side and a backside, said electrolytic cell further comprising a hydrophilic liquid-permeable material interposed between the ion-exchange membrane and the front side of the gas diffusion cathode, wherein said gas diffusion cathode is divided into two or more upper and lower sections forming a space between adjacent sections, the hydrophilic liquid-permeable material is divided into two or more sections, and an edge of at least one of said liquid-permeable material sections extends through a space between one of said upper and lower adjacent sections to reach the backside of said gas diffusion cathode.

An electrolytic cell employing a gas diffusion electrode, which comprises an ion-exchange membrane partitioning the electrolytic cell into an anode chamber including an anode and a cathode chamber including a gas diffusion cathode having a front side and a backside, said electrolytic cell further comprising a hydrophilic liquid-permeable material interposed between the ion-exchange membrane and the front side of the gas diffusion cathode, wherein the gas diffusion cathode comprises one or more slits, the hydrophilic liquid-permeable material is divided into two or more sections, and an edge of at least one of said hydrophilic liquid-permeable sections extends through one of said slits to reach the backside of said gas diffusion cathode.