Electrolyzing electrode and production method therefor and electrolysis method using electrolyzing electrode and electrolysis solution producing device

• US 20040011665A1
• Filed: 07/11/2003
• Published: 01/22/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/21/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sanyo Electric Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sanyo Electric Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Rakuma, Tsuyoshi, Mushiake, Katsuhiko, Koizumi, Tomohito, Iseki, Masahiro, Umezawa, Hiroyuki, Kondo, Yasuhito, Hiro, Naoki, Koizumi, Yurika
• Granted Patent: US 7,156,962 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 205/626
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2/035 Electrolysis
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2/183 Ozone dissolved in a liquid
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/46 by electrochemical methods
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/46109 Electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/4672 by electrooxydation
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/4674 with halogen or compound of halogens, e.g. chlorine, bromine
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/78 with ozone C02F1/4672 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2001/46133 characterised by the material
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2001/46138 Electrodes comprising a substrate and a coating
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2001/46142 Catalytic coating
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2103/42 from bathing facilities, e.g. swimming pools
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2201/46115 Electrolytic cell with membranes or diaphragms
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2201/46125 Electrical variables
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2201/4613 Inversing polarity
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2201/782 Ozone generators
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2209/005 Processes using a programmable logic controller [PLC]
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2303/04 Disinfection
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2305/023 Reactive oxygen species, singlet oxygen, OH radical
• CPC Class Codes: C25B 1/13 Ozone
• CPC Class Codes: C25B 11/091 consisting of at least one catalytic element and at least one catalytic compound; consisting of two or more catalytic elements or catalytic compounds

Abstract

There are provided an electrode for electrolysis which takes into consideration safety to human bodies and environmental pollution upon disposal of the electrode, produces ozone with high efficiency and has excellent durability, a production process of the electrode, and an active oxygen producing device using the electrode. In an electrode 5 for electrolysis which has an electrode catalyst at least on the surface and produces ozone or active oxygen in for-treatment water by electrolysis, the electrode catalyst contains a dielectric which constitutes more than 70% of the surface area of the electrode catalyst.

Claims

1. An electrode for electrolysis which has an electrode catalyst at least on the surface and produces ozone or active oxygen in for-treatment water by electrolysis, wherein

the electrode catalyst contains a dielectric, which occupies more than 70% of the surface area of the electrode catalyst.

2. The electrode of claim 1, wherein a noble metal or metal oxide is present in a surface portion of the electrode catalyst which is not constituted by the dielectric.

8. An electrolytic process for producing ozone or active oxygen, wherein an anode and a cathode are immersed in for-treatment water in an electrolysis vessel, and the electrode of claim 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5 is used as the anode.

9. The process of claim 8, wherein the anode and the cathode are separated from each other by a cation exchange membrane.

10. An electrolytic process for producing ozone or active oxygen, wherein an anode and a cathode are immersed in for-treatment water in an electrolysis vessel, the electrode of claim 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5 is used as the anode and the cathode, and a pulse voltage is applied to between the anode and the cathode in the for-treatment water.

3. An electrode for electrolysis which has an electrode catalyst surface layer formed on the surface of a conductive substrate and produces ozone or active oxygen in for-treatment water by electrolysis, wherein

the electrode catalyst surface layer contains a dielectric in an amount of more than 70 mol %.

4. The electrode of claim 3, wherein the electrode catalyst surface layer contains a noble metal or metal oxide.

5. The electrode of claim 3 or 4, wherein the electrode catalyst surface layer contains at least a tantalum oxide in an amount of 70 mol % as the dielectric and contains at least platinum as the noble metal or metal oxide, or the electrode catalyst surface layer contains at least a niobium oxide in an amount of 70 mol % as the dielectric and contains at least a ruthenium oxide as the noble metal or metal oxide.

6. A process for producing the electrode of claim 3, 4 or 5, comprising the steps of:

coating the surface of the conductive substrate with a surface layer forming material containing a tantalum oxide, a tantalum oxide precursor, a niobium oxide or a niobium oxide precursor, and

heat-treating the conductive substrate and the surface layer forming material in an oxidizing atmosphere.

7. A process for producing the electrode of claim 3, wherein the conductive substrate which is tantalum, a tantalum alloy, niobium or a niobium alloy is oxidized to form the electrode catalyst surface layer.

11. An electrolyzed water producing device,

which has a portable applicator comprising:

a reservoir for reserving water to be electrolyzed,

a pair or plurality of electrodes for electrolysis which are provided in the reservoir so as to be immersed in the for-electrolysis water, and

an outlet for discharging the liquid out of the reservoir, and

which passes an electric current in between the electrodes so as to produce ozone or active oxygen in the for-electrolysis water.

12. The device of claim 11, wherein the electrode has an electrode catalyst at least on the surface, the electrode catalyst contains a dielectric, and the dielectric constitutes more than 70% of the surface area of the electrode catalyst.

13. The device of claim 12, wherein a noble metal or metal oxide is present in a surface portion of the electrode catalyst which is not constituted by the dielectric.

14. The device of claim 11, wherein the electrode has an electrode catalyst surface layer formed on the surface of a conductive substrate, and the electrode catalyst surface layer contains a dielectric in an amount of more than 70 mol%.

15. The device of claim 14, wherein the electrode catalyst surface layer contains at least a tantalum oxide in an amount of 70 mol% as the dielectric and contains at least platinum as the noble metal or metal oxide, or the electrode catalyst surface layer contains at least a niobium oxide in an amount of 70 mol% as the dielectric and contains at least a ruthenium oxide as the noble metal or metal oxide.

16. The device of claim 11, wherein the electrode comprises titanium coated with a mixture of platinum as the noble metal or metal oxide and a tantalum oxide as the dielectric.

17. The device of claim 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, or 16, wherein a power supply for energizing the electrodes in the applicatoe from outside the applicator is provided independently of the applicator.

18. The device of claim 11, 12, 13, 14, 15 or 16, wherein the applicator incorporates a power supply for energizing the electrodes.

19. The device of claims 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17 or 18, wherein a controller for controlling energization of the electrodes is provided, and the controller is capable of changing the concentration of electrolyzed water produced in the reservoir.

20. The device of claim 19, wherein the controller is provided in the power supply.

21. The device of claim 19 or 20, wherein the controller switches polarities of the electrodes from one polarity to the other polarity.

22. The device of claim 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20 or 21, wherein the applicator has an operating part, and based on operation of the operating part, the electrolyzed water produced in the reservoir is pushed toward the outlet so as to be sprayed out therefrom.