Patent EP0122049A2 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
EP0122049A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
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Unreinforced membrane, electrochemical cell, and electrolysis process
Assignee: EIDP Inc
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Filing: 1984-03-09
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2004-03-09
Abstract
Abstract An unreinforced ion exchange membrane which comprises fluorinated polymer which has carboxylic functional groups, which has a hydrogen bubble release layer on the cathode-facing side thereof, and which has channels open to the outer surface of the anode-facing side thereof, is described. Precursor membrane, which may contain partially embedded sacrificial members, and from which the unreinforced ion exchange membrane is made, is also described. The unreinforced ion exchange membrane can be used to separate the compartments of a chloralkali cell, and such a cell operates at low voltage, high current efficiency, and low power consumption.
Inventors
- 👤 Thomas Charles Bissot
- 👤 Stephen Li
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-25 22:26
CPC Classifications
C; C08; C08J; C08J5/00; C08J5/20; C08J5/22; H; H01; H01M; H01M8/00; H01M8/10; H01M8/1016; H01M8/1018; H01M8/1039; C08J5/2206; C08J5/2275; C08J5/2281; C25; C25B; C25B13/00; C25B13/04; C25B13/08; H01M8/1041; H01M8/1053; H01M8/1067; C08J2327/00; C08J2327/02; C08J2327/12; C08J2327/18; H01M2008/1095; Y; Y02; Y02E; Y02E60/00; Y02E60/30; Y02E60/50
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 30
Claim 1
Independent Claim
180 words
A fluorinated cation-exchange polymer membrane which is an unreinforced film impermeable to hydraulic flow of liquid, said membrane comprising at least first and second layers of fluorinated polymer whose functional groups are -CFZ-COOM groups or -CFQ-S0 3 M groups, where M is H, Na, K or NH 4 , Z is F, CF 3 or CF 2 Cl, and Q is F, Cl, C 1 to C 10 perfluoroalkyl or CF 2 Cl, adjacent said layers being in inherent 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-S0 3 M groups, characterised in that said membrane has a hydrogen bubble release layer at the outer surface of said first layer, has voids at the outer surface of said second layer characterized by a void content of 20 to 70%, and each said polymer with -CFZ-COOM groups has an equivalent weight of 670 to 1500 and each said polymer with -CFQ-S0 3 M groups has an equivalent weight of 600 to 1500.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
180 words
A fluorinated cation-exchange polymer membrane which is an unreinforced film impermeable to hydraulic flow of liquid, said membrane comprising at least first and second layers of fluorinated polymer whose functional groups are -CFZ-COOM groups or -CFQ-S0 3 M groups, where M is H, Na, K or NH 4 , Z is F, CF 3 or CF 2 Cl, and Q is F, Cl, C 1 to C 10 perfluoroalkyl or CF 2 Cl, adjacent said layers being in inherent 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-S0 3 M groups, characterised in that said membrane has a hydrogen bubble release layer at the outer surface of said first layer, has voids at the outer surface of said second layer characterized by a void content of 20 to 70%, and each said polymer with -CFZ-COOM groups has an equivalent weight of 670 to 1500 and each said polymer with -CFQ-S0 3 M groups has an equivalent weight of 600 to 1500.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
44 words
A membrane according to claim 1 wherein said fluorinated polymer is perfluorinated polymer, each said polymer with -CFZ-COOM groups has an equivalent weight of 770 to 1250, and each said polymer with -CFQ-S0 3 M groups has an equivalent weight of 900 to 1400.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
21 words
A membrane according to claim 1 or 2 wherein said voids are indentations in the outer surface of said second layer.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
42 words
A membrane according to claim 1 or 2 wherein said voids are channels having one dimension in the plane of said membrane which is large relative to the other two dimensions of said channels, at the outer surface of said second layer.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
19 words
A membrane according to claim 4 wherein said voids are channels resulting from removal of partially embedded sacrificial strands.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
25 words
A membrane according to claim 5 wherein said voids are channels resulting from physical removal of partially embedded sacrificial strands which are elongate metal members.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
24 words
A membrane according to claim 5 wherein said voids are channels resulting from chemical removal of partially embedded sacrificial strands which are sacrificial yarns.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
27 words
A membrane according to claim 5 wherein said voids are channels resulting from removal of sacrificial yarns in the form of a woven, non-woven or knitted fabric.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
65 words
A membrane according to any one of the preceding claims wherein Z is F, Q is F, said -CF 2 -COOM functional groups are part of -(CF 2 ) m -COOM moieties where m is 1, 2 or 3, and said -CF 2 -SO 3 M functional groups are part of -(CF 2 ) p -SO 3 M moieties where p is 2 or 3.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
42 words
A membrane according to claim 9 wherein said -(CF 2 ) m -COOM moieties are part of -0-(CF 2 ) m COOM moieties, and said -(CF 2 )p-S0 3 M moieties are part of -O-(CF 2 ) p -SO 3 M moieties.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
19 words
ll. A membrane according to any one of the preceding claims wherein said void content is 25 to 40%.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
38 words
A membrane according to any one of the preceding claims wherein said first and second layers of fluorinated polymer are the sole layers of fluorinated polymer, and said first layer is in adherent contact with said second layer.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
35 words
A membrane according to any one of the preceding claims wherein said hydrogen bubble release layer is a gas- and liquid-permeable porous non-electrode layer in adherent contact with the outer surface of said first layer.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
15 words
A membrane according to claim 13 wherein said hydrogen bubble release layer comprises zirconium oxide.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
33 words
A membrane according to any one of claims 1 to 12 wherein said hydrogen bubble release layer is the outer surface of said first layer, having a roughness of 0.5 to 5 um.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
81 words
A precursor membrane of an unreinforced fluorinated cation-exchange polymer membrane as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, which precursor membrane comprises said first and second layers of fluorinated polymer, said hydrogen bubble release layer is optional and said precursor membrane has, as the sole support elements, sacrificial elements partially embedded in the outer surface of said second layer such that after removal of said sacrificial elements there are provided said voids at the outer surface of said second layer.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
19 words
A precursor membrane according to claim 16 wherein said sacrificial elements are polyester, polyamide, acrylic or cellulosic sacrificial yarns.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
24 words
A precursor membrane according to claim 16 or 17 wherein said sacrificial yarns are in the form of a woven, non-woven or knitted fabric.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
33 words
A precursor membrane according to claim 16, 17 or 18 which has a hydrogen bubble release layer as defined in claim 13, 14 or 15 at the outer surface of said first layer.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
94 words
A precursor membrane of an unreinforced fluorinated polymer membrane which is a precursor membrane as defined in any one of claims 16 to 19 except that said first layer is of fluorinated polymer whose functional groups are -CFZ-COOR groups, where R is C l -C 4 alkyl and Z is F, CF 3 or CF 2 CI and said second layer is of fluorinated polymer whose functional groups are -CFQ-SO 2 X groups where X is F or Cl and Q is F, Cl, C 1 to C lO perfluoroalkyl or CF 2 Cl.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
60 words
A precursor membrane according to claim 20 wherein Z is F, Q is F, said -CF 2 -COOR functional groups are part of -(CF 2 )m-COOR moieties where m is 1, 2 or 3, and said -CF 2 -S0 2 X functional groups are part of -(CF 2 ) p -SO 2 X moieties where p is 2 or 3.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
70 words
A precursor membrane according to claim 21 wherein said -(CF 2 ) m -COOR moieties are part of -0-(CF 2 )m-COOR moieties, and said -(CF 2 ) p -SO 2 X moieties are part of -O-(CF 2 ) P -SO 2 X moieties, said first and second layers of fluorinated polymer are the sole layers of fluorinated polymer, and said first layer is in adherent contact with said second layer.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
59 words
An unreinforced fluorinated polymer membrane which is an unreinforced film impermeable to hydraulic flow of liquid and obtained by removing the sacrificial elements from a precursor membrane as claimed in claim 20, 21 or 22 to provide voids at the outer surface of said second layer, the unreinforced membrane being characterized by a void content of 20 to 70%.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
20 words
A membrane according to claim 23 wherein said voids are as defined in any one of claims 4 to 8.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
56 words
An electrochemical cell which comprises an anode compartment, an anode situated within said anode compartment, a cathode compartment, a cathode situated within said cathode compartment, and, between said compartments, an ion exchange membrane as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5, said membrane being disposed such that said first layer faces toward said cathode.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
22 words
An electrochemical cell according to claim 25 wherein the spacing between said anode and said cathode is no greater than 3 mm.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
25 words
An electrochemical cell according to claim 25 or 26 wherein said membrane is in contact with at least one of said anode and said cathode.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
20 words
An electrochemical cell according to claim 27 wherein said membrane is in contact with both said anode and said cathode.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
25 words
Use of an electrochemical cell as claimed in any one of claims 25 to 28 in the electrolysis of brine to form caustic and chlorine.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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