Method of inhibiting formation of and breaking of mercury butter in chlor-alkali cells
US4391681A · kind A · utility
1Cited by
4References
11Claims
0Family size
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | May 13, 1982 |
| Grant date | Jul 5, 1983 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | May 13, 2002 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC C)Chemistry; Metallurgy
- CPC primaryC25B1/36
- WIPO fieldSurface technology, coating
- WIPO sectorChemistry
Abstract
The present invention relates to a method of inhibiting the formation of and/or breaking of preformed mercury butter in chlor-alkali cells. The method comprises introducing at any one of the numerous stages of the electrolytic process an aqueous solution of a surfactant material which enables the interfacial tension of the sodium-amalgam interface to be increased to or maintained above a value of 180 dynes/cm. The surfactants may be extracts of decaying vegetation, solutions of carboxylic acids or chlorohydrocarbons. Extracts containing lignite or humic acids are most effective.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.