Electrochemical cell having a current distributor comprising a conductive polymer composite material
US6042702A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Mar 7, 1997 |
| Grant date | Mar 28, 2000 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Mar 7, 2017 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY02E60/50
- WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
The invention relates to an electrochemical cell which has an electrode, a membrane disposed in contact with one side of the electrode and a current bus disposed on the other side of the electrode. A current distributor which is disposed between the electrode and the current bus distributes current to the electrode by electronic conduction. The current distributor is made of a non-porous layer of a conductive polymer composite material. The current distributor thus provides a barrier between the current bus and the reactant and the product of the cell. This is especially important in aggressive environments, such as hydrogen chloride. Thus, the cell of the present invention is particularly useful in converting anhydrous hydrogen halide directly to essentially dry halogen gas, such as anhydrous hydrogen chloride to chlorine gas, or in converting aqueous hydrogen chloride to wet chlorine gas.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.