Gas diffusion electrode and application to catalyzed electrochemical processes
AssigneeMessier-Bugatti
InventorsLudovic Ouvry, Nathalie Nicolaus, Philippe Parmentier
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Abstract
A gas diffusion electrode comprises a cloth (12) of activated carbon fibers having a first face coated in a hydrophobic material (14) and a second face on which particles of catalyst (16) are fixed directly and are dispersed in substantially uniform manner over the fibers. The electrode can be used in an electrochemical cell of a proton exchange membrane fuel-cell battery, or in an electrochemical reactor, e.g. for making chlorine and caustic soda.
Claims32
A gas diffusion electrode comprising a porous substrate of activated carbon fibers, wherein the fibers are made of rayon precursor on which particles of a catalyst for an electrochemical reaction are fixed directly,
- the electrode being characterized in that the substrate is a cohesive fabric that is at least partially coated in a hydrophobic material.
A method of making a gas diffusion electrode comprising the steps of supplying a substrate of activated carbon fibers, putting the substrate in contact with a rayon precursor for an electrochemical reaction catalyst, and treating the precursor to obtain particles of catalyst fixed on the fibers of the substrate, the method being characterized in that an activated carbon fiber of rayon precursor is used in the form of a cohesive fabric having a first face and a second face, a portion of the fabric adjacent to its first face is coated in a hydrophobic material, and the catalyst is deposited on the fibers of the remaining portion of the fabric adjacent to its second face.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.