Electrolysis of halide-containing solutions with amorphous metal alloys

• US 4,609,442 A
• Filed: 06/24/1985
• Issued: 09/02/1986
• Est. Priority Date: 06/24/1985
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Standard Oil Company Cleveland Oh
• Original Assignee: Standard Oil Company (BP PLC)
• Inventors: Ward, Michael D., Grasselli, Robert K., Henderson, Richard S., Harris, Jonathan H., Tenhover, Michael A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Andrews, R. L.
• Application Number:
  US06/748,023
• Time in Patent Office: 435 Days
• Field of Search: 204/128, 204/98, 204/95, 204/293, 204/290 R, 204/290 F
• US Class Current: 205/474
• CPC Class Codes: C25B 11/04 characterised by the material
• CPC Class Codes: C25B 11/075 consisting of a single catalytic element or catalytic compound

Abstract

Amorphous metal alloys have the formula

M.sup.1.sub.a M.sup.2.sub.b M.sup.3.sub.c

where

M¹ is Fe, Co, Ni, Pd and combination thereof;

M² is Ti, Zr, Hf, V, Nb, Ta and combination thereof;

M³ is Rh, Os, Ir, Pt and combinations thereof;

a ranges from about 0 to 60;

b ranges from about 10 to 70; and

c ranges from about 5 to 70, with the proviso that a+b+c=100.

These alloys have utility as anodes in electrolytic processes and a process for the generation of halogens from halide-containing solutions includes a step of conducting electrolysis of the solutions in an electrolytic cell having an amorphous metal alloy anode of the formula

M.sup.1.sub.a M.sup.2.sub.b M.sup.3.sub.c.

Claims

1. A process for the generation of halogens from halide-containing solutions comprising the step of:

conducting electrolysis of said solutions in an electrolytic cell having an amorphous metal alloy anode having the formula

space="preserve" listing-type="equation">M.sup.1.sub.a M.sup.2.sub.b M.sup.3.sub.c

where

M¹ is Fe, Co, Ni, Pd and combinations thereof;

M² is Ti, Zr, Hf, V, Nb, Ta and combinations thereof;

M³ is Rh, Os, Ir, Pt and combinations thereof;

a ranges from about 0 to 60;

b ranges from 10 to 70; and

c ranges from about 5 to 70, with the proviso that a+b+c=100.

2. A process, as set forth in claim 1, wherein said amorphous metal alloy anode is at least 50 percent amorphous.

3. A process, as set forth in claim 1, wherein said amorphous metal alloy anode is at least 80 percent amorphous.

4. A process, as set forth in claim 1, wherein said amorphous metal alloy anode is about 100 percent amorphous.

5. A process, as set forth in claim 1, wherein said halide is chloride.

6. A process, as set forth in claim 5, which produces products selected from the group consisting of chlorine, chlorates, perchlorates and other chlorine oxides upon electrolysis of said chloride-containing solutions therewith.

7. A process, as set forth in claim 1, wherein said halide-containing solution comprises sodium chloride solutions.

8. A process, as set forth in claim 7, wherein chlorine is generated at said anode substantially free of oxygen.

9. A process, as set forth in claim 1, wherein said amorphous metal alloy anode comprises Fe, Ta and Pt.

10. A process, as set forth in claim 9, wherein said amorphous metal alloy anode comprises Fe₅₅ Ta₄₀ Pt₅.

11. A process, as set forth in claim 1, wherein said amorphous metal alloy anode comprises Ti and Pt.

12. A process, as set forth in claim 11, wherein said amorphous metal alloy anode comprises Ti₇₀ Pt₃₀.

13. A process, as set forth in claim 1, wherein said amorphous metal alloy anode comprises Zr and Pt.

14. A process, as set forth in claim 13, wherein said amorphous metal alloy anode comprises Zr₆₀ Pt₄₀.

15. A process as set forth in claim 1, wherein said amorphous metal alloy anode comprises Fe, Ti, Pd and Ir.

16. A process, as set forth in claim 15, wherein said amorphous metal alloy anode comprises Fe₂₀ Ti₁₀ Pd₃₅ Ir₃₅.

17. A process, as set forth in claim 1, wherein said amorphous metal alloy anode has a thickness of up to about 100 microns.

18. A process, as set forth in claim 1, wherein electrolysis is conducted at a voltage range of from about 1.10 to 2.50 volts (SCE) and current densities of from about 10 to 2000 mA/cm².

19. A process, as set forth in claim 1, wherein electrolysis is conducted at a temperature range of from about 0°

to about 100°

C.