Hydrogen-assisted electrolysis processes
AssigneesMillennium Cell, Inc., Air Products and Chemicals, Inc.
InventorsJianguo Xu, Michael Kelly, Guido Pez, Ying Wu, Stefanie Sharp-Goldman
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Abstract
A process and electrolytic cell for reducing in an ionic alkali metal compound, the cell containing anode and cathode electrodes, by supplying an electrolyte containing the alkali metal compound to the cell, applying an electric voltage to the cell to reduce said alkali metal compound at the cathode, and passing hydrogen or a hydrogen containing gas to at least one electrode while the compound is reduced at the cathode.
Claims10
A process for reducing in an electrolytic cell an ionic alkali metal compound, said cell containing anode and cathode compartments, comprising:
- supplying said alkali metal compound in molten form to at least the cathodic compartment in the electrolytic cell, at least said cathodic compartment being substantially free of water, said anodic and cathodic compartments being separated by a membrane which is permeable to alkali metal ions but is not permeable to water and water vapor;
- applying an electric voltage to said cell to reduce said alkali metal compound at said cathode;
- and
- electro-oxidizing hydrogen or a hydrogen containing gas at the anode while said compound is reduced at the cathode
A process of electrolyzing alkali metal hydroxide in an electrolytic cell containing anodic and cathodic compartments to produce an alkali metal comprising:
- providing molten alkali metal hydroxide to both the cathodic and anodic compartments in the electrolytic cell, at least said cathodic compartment being substantially free of water, said anodic and cathodic compartments being separated by a membrane which is permeable to alkali metal ions but is not permeable to water and water vapor;
- applying a voltage to the cell;
- and
- electro-oxidizing hydrogen or a hydrogen containing gas at said anode while said electric voltage is applied to form the metallic alkali metal in said cathodic compartment.
A process for reducing in an electrolytic cell a sodium borate compound, said cell containing anode and cathode compartments, comprising:
- supplying said sodium borate compound in molten form to at least the cathodic compartment in the electrolytic cell, at least said cathodic compartment being substantially free of water, said anodic and cathodic compartments being separated by a membrane which is permeable to alkali metal ions but is not permeable to water and water vapor;
- applying an electric voltage to said cell to reduce said sodium borate compound at said cathode;
- and
- passing hydrogen or a hydrogen containing gas in the anode compartment while said sodium borate compound is reduced at the cathode.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.