ALKALI METAL CARBONATES IN A CELL HAVING A CARBOXYL MEMBRANE

• Main Authors: CHARLES JOSEPH HORA, KEVIN JOSEPH O'LEARY, DONALD LOUIS DERESPIRIS
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 16.09.1982
• Subjects: AFTER-TREATMENT NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASSES C08B, C08C, C08F,C08G; APPARATUS THEREFOR; CHEMISTRY; COMPOSITIONS BASED THEREON; COMPOUNDS OF ALKALI METALS, i.e. LITHIUM, SODIUM, POTASSIUM,RUBIDIUM, CAESIUM, OR FRANCIUM; ELECTROLYTIC OR ELECTROPHORETIC PROCESSES; ELECTROLYTIC OR ELECTROPHORETIC PROCESSES FOR THE PRODUCTIONOF COMPOUNDS OR NON-METALS; GENERAL PROCESSES OF COMPOUNDING; INORGANIC CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY; ORGANIC MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS; THEIR PREPARATION OR CHEMICAL WORKING-UP; WORKING-UP

An alkali metal carbonate substantially free of alkali metal chloride is efficiently produced by electrolyzing an alkali metal chloride in an electrolytic cell having anolyte and catholyte compartments separated by a cation-exchange hydraulically impermeable membrane comprised of a thin film of a fluorinated polymer having pendant carboxylic acid or alkali metal carboxylate groups and a cathode spaced apart from the membrane, injecting into the catholyte compartment of the cell carbon dioxide in a quantity sufficient to convert substantially all the alkali metal hydroxide forming therein to the alkali metal carbonate salt, and utilizing a magnitude of electrolyzing current that reduces alkali metal chloride in the catholyte solids to less than 400 ppm.