Abstract
The gas diffusion electrodes as oxygen cathodes f3r the brine electrolysis process were investigated. The gas diffusion electrode consists of a reaction layer, a gas diffusion layer, and a current distributor. The reaction layer was made from hydrophilic carbon black, hydrophobic carbon black, PTFE(polyterafluoroethylene), and Ag catalyst loaded by the silver mirror reaction or impregnation method. The gas diffusion layer was made from hydrophobic carbon black and PTFE, and Ni mesh was used as the current distributor in the reaction layer. The result that the gas diffusion electrode $(10wt\%\;Ag\;catalyst\;and\;20wt\%\;binder)$ manufactured by applying impregnation method to the carbon black f3r reaction layer showed the better performance was obtained from experiments. From the half-cell test, the measured overpotential of this oxygen cathode was about 700mV, And through the electrolysis experiment under the condition of $80^{\circ}C,\;32wt\%$ NaOH, and $300mA/cm^2$, the electrolysis voltage of this electrode was about 2.2 V, The gas diffusion electrodes manufactured in the present research were capable of continuous operations for three months.
염수 전해 공정에서 산소음극형 가스화산전극의 적용에 대해 연구, 조사하였다. 가스확산전극은 반응층, 가스확산층, 급 전체로 구성된다. 반응층은 친수성 카본블랙, 소수성 카본블랙, PTFE(polytetrafluoroethylene), 은거울반응이나 함침법에 의해 담지된 은 촉매로 제조하였다. 가스확산충은 소수성 카본블랙과 PTFE로 제조되며, 반응층 내에 사용되는 급전체는 Ni망을 사용하였다. 실험에 의하면 함침법에 의해 Ag촉매를 반응충 카본에 담지시켜 제작된 전극$(Ag\;10wt\%$,바인더 $20wt\%)$이 산소음극 과전압이 약 700mv, 전해조에 장착하여 측정한 전해전압(전해 조건이 $80^{\circ}C,\;32wt\%$ 가성소다 그리고 $300 mA/cm^2$의 전류 밀도)이 약 2.2V로 가장 우수한 결과를 나타내었다. 이는 기존 공정의 전해전압 3.4V에 비해 $30\%$이상 저감된 결과이다. 또한 개발된 가스확산 전극은 염수 분해용 전해 공정에서 3개월 연속 운전이 가능하였다.
