JP2002121690A - Electrolytic type ozone generating apparatus and portable electronic appliance using the apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a portable ozone generating apparatus which operates with low voltage. SOLUTION: The apparatus is provided with an ozone generating element 500 where an anode 200 face a cathode 300 with a solid polymer electrolytic film 100 held between then and a power source circuit 400 to supply AC between the anode 200 and the cathode 300, a porous cathode substrate 310 having electron conductivity and gas permeability is used as the cathode 300, a surface side catalytic layer 320/rear side catalytic layer 330 containing a platinum catalyst are formed on both sides of the catalytic layer 310.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an electrolytic ozone generating apparatus in which an anode and a cathode are opposed to each other with a solid polymer electrolyte membrane interposed therebetween, and a direct current is supplied to generate ozone from the anode. And a portable electronic device using the same.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A conventional electrolytic ozone generator and an ozone generator incorporating the electrolytic ozone generator include:
Some supply air. The ozone generating element includes an anode in which lead dioxide is electrodeposited on a platinum-plated titanium mesh, a solid polymer electrolyte membrane known as Nafion (DuPont), and a carbon powder carrying platinum on carbon paper. And a cathode on which a catalyst layer is formed, and the solid polymer electrolyte membrane faces each other with the anode and the cathode interposed therebetween.

In such an ozone generating element, when a DC current of about 3.5 V is supplied, ozone and oxygen are generated on the anode side, and water is generated on the cathode side. However, not all protons are converted to water on the cathode side, but some are converted to hydrogen. This is because a considerable part of the DC voltage applied by the DC power supply is applied to the cathode side, and the cathode may be placed at a voltage low enough for hydrogen generation for hydrogen generation. In particular, when the humidity becomes high or after a long period of rest, when a voltage is suddenly applied, remarkable hydrogen generation occurs, and there is a risk of explosion and the like.

Therefore, as an ozone generating element free from such problems, Japanese Patent Application No. 9-292439 (Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No.
No. 31276) states, "In an electrolytic ozone generator in which an anode and a cathode are opposed to each other with a solid polymer electrolyte membrane interposed therebetween, an electron conductive and gas-permeable porous base material is used as the cathode, An electrolytic ozone generating element characterized in that a catalyst layer containing a platinum catalyst is formed on both surfaces of the porous substrate "has been proposed.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an electrolytic ozone generator using the above-mentioned ozone generating element and a portable electronic device using the same.

[0006]

According to the present invention, there is provided an electrolytic ozone generating apparatus comprising: an ozone generating element having an anode and a cathode facing each other with a solid polymer electrolyte membrane interposed therebetween; and a direct current between the anode and the cathode. A power supply circuit for supplying current is provided, and is portable as a whole.

A portable electronic device using the electrolytic ozone generator according to the present invention has the electrolytic ozone generator.

[0008]

FIG. 1 is a schematic sectional view of an ozone generating element and a power supply circuit used in an electrolytic ozone generating apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is an electrolysis according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a schematic explanatory view for explaining the operation of an ozone generating element used in the ozone generating device of the type, FIG. 3 is a schematic circuit diagram of a power supply circuit used in the electrolytic ozone generating device according to the embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. FIG. 5 is a schematic perspective view of a portable wireless device as a portable electronic device incorporating the electrolytic ozone generator according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 5 incorporates the electrolytic ozone generator according to the embodiment of the present invention. It is a schematic perspective view of a futon dryer as a portable electronic device.

An electrolytic ozone generator A according to an embodiment of the present invention includes an anode 2 with a solid polymer electrolyte membrane 100 interposed therebetween.
Ozone generating element 500 in which 00 and cathode 300 face each other.
And a power supply circuit 400 for supplying a direct current between the anode 200 and the cathode 300, so that the whole is portable.

The cathode 300 has a cathode substrate 310, a front catalyst layer 320 formed on the surface of the cathode substrate 310, and a back catalyst layer 330 formed on the back surface. The cathode substrate 310 is made of an electronically conductive and gas permeable porous material, for example, a carbon fiber having a thickness of 0.3.
adsorb fine particles of polytetrasulfurethylene (hereinafter referred to as PTFE) to carbon paper
A material subjected to a water-repellent treatment by heat treatment at 50 ° C. is used.

The front side catalyst layer 320 is formed by fixing a liquefied solid polymer electrolyte as a binder to a catalyst in which platinum particles are supported on carbon powder, and has a thickness of 20.
It is set to μm.

Further, the back catalyst layer 330 is formed by fixing fine particles of PTFE as a binder to a catalyst in which fine platinum particles are supported on carbon powder, and has a thickness of 20 μm.
Is set to

The front catalyst layer 320 on the cathode substrate 310
The formation of the back catalyst layer 330 is performed as follows. First, a backside catalyst layer 330 is applied to one surface of the water-repellent cathode substrate 310 by using a screen printing method, and then heat-treated at 350 ° C. to form PTFE on the cathode substrate 310.
To give strong water repellency to the back side catalyst layer 330. Thereafter, the front side catalyst layer 320 is applied to the surface side of the cathode substrate 310 by using a screen printing method,
The polymer electrolyte added as a binder by heat treatment at 0 ° C. is fused to the cathode substrate 310 to form a highly hydrophilic front catalyst layer 3.
20.

On the other hand, the anode 200 includes an anode base 210 and
And a catalyst layer 220 formed on one side of the anode substrate 210. The anode substrate 210 is a so-called expanded metal formed by cutting and extending a thin plate of titanium having a thickness of 50 μm and then slightly plated with platinum.

The catalyst layer 220 is made of lead dioxide, and is formed by applying the lead dioxide to the solid polymer electrolyte membrane 100 and has a thickness of 20 μm. As the solid polymer electrolyte membrane 100, one obtained by punching out Nafion 115 (trade name) from Dupont with a punching punch was used.

The solid polymer electrolyte membrane 100 is sandwiched between the anode 200 and the cathode 300 thus formed. At this time, the ozone generating element 500 is configured such that the catalyst layer 220 of the anode 200 contacts the solid polymer electrolyte membrane 100 and the front catalyst layer 320 of the cathode 300 contacts the solid polymer electrolyte membrane 100.

The ozone generating element 500 is sandwiched between two pressing plates 600 as shown in FIG. The two holding plates 600 are provided with openings 610 for exposing the anode 200 and the cathode 300, respectively. Further, the two holding plates 600 are fixed by a fixing tool 620 including a bolt, a nut, and the like.

The ozone generating element 50 thus configured
As shown in FIG. 3, a power supply circuit 400 having an on / off section 430 for turning on / off a DC current at a preset interval is connected to 0, thereby forming an electrolytic ozone generator A. The power supply circuit 400 generates a DC voltage of about 3 V, and it is desirable to use a dry battery as the power supply 410. In addition, 420 in FIG. 3 is an on / off switch of the whole of the electrolytic ozone generator A.

The operation of the electrolytic ozone generator A thus configured will be described with reference to FIG. When applying a DC voltage of about 3V between the anode 200 and the cathode 300, water of H ₂ O anode 200, the air is electrolyzed ozone O ₃ and oxygen O ₂ to occur. The electrons e ⁻ generated by the generation of the ozone O ₃ and the oxygen O ₂ are supplied to the power supply circuit 400
Via the solid polymer electrolyte membrane 100, and the protons H ⁺ are transferred to the front catalyst layer 3 of the cathode 300 via the solid polymer electrolyte membrane 100.
Move to 20. In the front catalyst layer 320, oxygen O ₂ in the air reacts with the protons H ⁺ to generate water H ₂ O. Part of the generated water H ₂ O moves to the anode 200 via the solid polymer electrolyte membrane 100 and
For the reaction at

Oxygen O on the front catalyst layer 320 of the cathode 300
_If the supply of ₂ is insufficient, hydrogen H ₂ may be generated. However, even when hydrogen H ₂ is generated in the cathode 300, the hydrogen H ₂ is oxidized in the back catalyst layer 330 of the cathode 300 and returned to water H ₂ O, so that there is no possibility that hydrogen H ₂ is released into the atmosphere.

As shown in FIG. 3, the electrolytic ozone generator A using the ozone generating element 500 has an on / off section 430, so that a direct current is not always supplied. Therefore, power consumption can be suppressed.

Further, instead of the on / off section 430, a current control section for supplying a direct current having a current value equal to or less than a current value required for generating ozone may be used. Also in this case, power consumption can be suppressed.

Since the electrolytic type ozone generator A has the characteristics of being small in size and operating at a low voltage, it can be used as follows.

First, the electrolytic ozone generator A can be widely used as a compact sterilizer and deodorant device.

For example, it can be incorporated in a kitchen garbage bin. However, in this case, it is important that the electrolytic ozone generator A has a watertight structure that does not react with surrounding water.

Further, it has a bad odor such as a toilet, a clog box and a closet, and can be used as a small-sized sterilizing and deodorizing device in a humid environment. In this case, the power supply circuit 40
It is desirable that the on / off unit 430 be provided at 0 to suppress power consumption.

Further, the electrolytic ozone generator A is placed on an ashtray.
By incorporating, it is also possible to prevent the odor of cigarettes.

The electrolytic ozone generator A can also be used as a deodorizing device for an automobile. In this case, a battery of an automobile can be used as the power supply circuit 400, but a solar cell can be used because the battery is exposed to sunlight during the day. When a solar cell is used, there is no need to use a battery of an automobile as a power source, so that there is also an effect of preventing battery consumption.

The electrolytic ozone generator A can also be used as a sterilizer and deodorizer in hospitals, nursing homes, and food manufacturing factories. Particularly, in hospitals and nursing homes, the characteristic of low voltage operation of the electrolytic ozone generator A is effective from the viewpoint of preventing electromagnetic interference and electric shock accidents.

Further, the electrolytic ozone generator A can be incorporated in a cooler box used for fishing. If the electrolysis-type ozone generator A is incorporated in the storage of exercise equipment, it becomes possible to sterilize and deodorize various germs generated using sweat as a culture medium.

In addition, this electrolytic ozone generator A
Can be used in, for example, the following portable electronic devices. First, there is a portable wireless device B such as a mobile phone. This type of portable wireless device B is often stored in a closed container such as a bag during standby. In a bag or the like, not only the portable wireless device B, but also various other things are stored, and various germs causing a bad odor often propagate. In particular, in the case of women, cosmetics containing fragrances are often stored in bags etc., so sterilization in bags,
A bactericide or deodorant may be added for deodorization.

However, if the portable wireless device B incorporating the electrolytic ozone generator A is put in a bag,
Sterilization and deodorization by ozone generated from the electrolytic type ozone generator A of the portable wireless device B can be performed. Further, the power supply circuit 400 of the electrolytic ozone generator A is provided with an on / off section 420, so that it does not always generate ozone and operates only at preset intervals. There is no problem with the occurrence of.

In particular, the portable wireless device B has an optical sensor B _1.
The may be provided, which receives the optical sensor B ₁ is the light out of the bag, only by operating the electrolytic ozone generating apparatus A when the illuminance is equal to or greater than a preset value, the following cases the value If the electrolytic type ozone generator A is not operated, the electrolytic type ozone generator A does not operate when the portable wireless device B is in use, that is, when it is out of the bag, Power consumption can be suppressed.

Further, instead of the on / off section 420, a current control section for supplying a direct current having a current value equal to or less than a current value required when ozone is generated may be used. Also in this case, an optical sensor is provided on the portable wireless device B, and the electrolytic ozone generator A is operated only when the portable wireless device B is in use, that is, when the portable wireless device B is out of the bag. Then, power consumption can be suppressed.

The electrolytic ozone generator A can also be incorporated in a futon dryer C that blows hot air into the futon to dry the futon. This futon dryer C
As shown in FIG. 5, a hot air generator C ₁ heater or blower, etc. are incorporated, a drying section C ₂ to be sandwiched between the hanging futon and mattress, this drying section C ₂ and the hot air generating portion C ₁ and a hose C ₃ for connecting.

[0036] the end portion of the hose C _3, a power generation unit having a blade C ₄ rotating at fed hot air provided Incorporating the power generation unit to the power supply circuit 400 of the electrolytic ozone generator A, drying section C ₂ Since hot air blown into the air contains ozone, more efficient sterilization and deodorization can be performed. In particular, such a configuration eliminates the need for a separate power supply for the electrolytic ozone generator A.

The configuration of the ozone generating element 500 described above is an example, and other configurations can be adopted.

[0038]

The electrolytic ozone generator according to the present invention has the following features.
An ozone generating element having an anode and a cathode facing each other with a solid polymer electrolyte membrane interposed therebetween, and a power supply circuit for supplying a direct current between the anode and the cathode are provided, and are portable as a whole.

For this reason, a compact electrolytic ozone generator having a wide range of use and application can be obtained.

When the power supply circuit has an on / off section for turning on / off a DC current at a preset interval,
It is possible to adjust the amount of generated ozone and to suppress power consumption.

In the case of generating ozone, the power supply circuit has a current control unit for supplying a DC current that is equal to or less than a current value required for generating ozone, so that the amount of generated ozone can be adjusted and consumed. The power can be suppressed.

A portable electronic device according to the present invention has the above-described electrolytic ozone generator. For this reason, it can be incorporated in various portable electronic devices to achieve the effects of sterilization and deodorization.

In particular, in the portable electronic device, when a power supply circuit for operating the electronic device is used, it is not necessary to provide a separate power supply for the electrolytic ozone generator. It is possible to incorporate the electrolytic ozone generator without increasing the size of the electronic device.

The portable electronic device has an optical sensor. When the electrolytic ozone generator is operated only when the illuminance becomes equal to or less than a predetermined value, ozone becomes unnecessary. There is no possibility that it will be generated in such cases.

In particular, when an electrolytic ozone generator is incorporated in a portable wireless device such as a mobile phone, ozone can be generated when stored in a bag, and sterilization and deodorization in the bag can be performed. It is very convenient.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic sectional view of an ozone generation element and a power supply circuit used in an electrolytic ozone generation device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic explanatory diagram illustrating an operation of an ozone generation element used in the electrolytic ozone generation device according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a schematic circuit diagram of a power supply circuit used in the electrolytic ozone generator according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a schematic perspective view of a portable wireless device as a portable electronic device incorporating the electrolytic ozone generator according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a schematic perspective view of a futon dryer as a portable electronic device incorporating the electrolytic ozone generator according to the embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 100 solid polymer electrolyte membrane 200 anode 300 cathode 400 power supply circuit 500 ozone generating element A electrolytic ozone generator

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (72) Inventor Yasutake Murakami 2-6-1 Miwa, Mita-shi, Hyogo Ryodenkasei Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Masao Okubo 2-5-Nishi-Nagasu-cho, Amagasaki-shi, Hyogo No. 13 Japan Electronic Materials Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Hidemasa Okubo 2-5-1-13 Nishi-Nagasu-cho, Amagasaki City, Hyogo Prefecture Japan Electronic Materials Co., Ltd. 2-5-13 Japan Electronic Materials Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Kazuma Komuro 2-5-13 Nishinagasu-cho, Amagasaki-shi, Hyogo Japan Electronic Materials Co., Ltd. F-term (reference) 4K021 AA09 BC06 CA01 CA05 CA13 DB07 DB10 DB12 DB13 DB18 DB19 DB21 DB22 DB40 DB43 DB50 DC15 5K023 AA07 BB23 MM06 MM25

Claims (7)

[Claims] 1. An ozone generating element having an anode and a cathode facing each other with a solid polymer electrolyte membrane interposed therebetween, and a power supply circuit for supplying a direct current between the anode and the cathode, and An electrolytic ozone generator characterized by being portable. 2. The electrolytic ozone generator according to claim 1, wherein the power supply circuit has an on / off section for turning on / off a DC current at a preset interval. 3. The power supply circuit according to claim 1, further comprising a current control section for supplying a direct current having a current value equal to or less than a current value required for generating ozone when generating ozone. 2. The electrolytic ozone generator according to 1. 4. A portable electronic device comprising the electrolytic ozone generator according to claim 1, 2 or 3. 5. The portable electronic device according to claim 4, wherein in the portable electronic device, the power supply circuit uses a power supply circuit for operating the electronic device. 6. The portable electronic device has an optical sensor, and activates the electrolytic ozone generator only when the illuminance is equal to or less than a predetermined value. Item 6. The portable electronic device according to item 4 or 5. 7. The portable electronic device according to claim 4, wherein the portable electronic device is a portable wireless device such as a mobile phone.