US20090294282A1 - Water electrolysis device - Google Patents

Water electrolysis device Download PDF

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Publication number
US20090294282A1
US20090294282A1 US12/375,088 US37508807A US2009294282A1 US 20090294282 A1 US20090294282 A1 US 20090294282A1 US 37508807 A US37508807 A US 37508807A US 2009294282 A1 US2009294282 A1 US 2009294282A1
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US
United States
Prior art keywords
electrolysis device
electrolytic solution
acid
cathode compartment
solution contained
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Abandoned
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US12/375,088
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English (en)
Inventor
Régine Basseguy
Alain Bergel
Serge Da Silva
Leonardo De Silva Munoz
Damien Feron
Marc Roy
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Institut National Polytechnique de Toulouse INPT
Commissariat a lEnergie Atomique et aux Energies Alternatives CEA
Original Assignee
Institut National Polytechnique de Toulouse INPT
Commissariat a lEnergie Atomique CEA
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Application filed by Institut National Polytechnique de Toulouse INPT, Commissariat a lEnergie Atomique CEA filed Critical Institut National Polytechnique de Toulouse INPT
Assigned to COMMISSARIAT A L'ENERGIE ATOMIQUE-CEA, INSTITUT NATIONAL POLY-TECHNIQUE DE TOULOUSE-INPT reassignment COMMISSARIAT A L'ENERGIE ATOMIQUE-CEA ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST (SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS). Assignors: ROY, MARC, FERON, DAMIEN, BASSEGUY, REGINE, BERGEL, ALAIN, DA SILVA, SERGE, DE SILVA MUNOZ, LEONARDO
Publication of US20090294282A1 publication Critical patent/US20090294282A1/en
Assigned to COMMISSARIAT A L'ENERGIE ATOMIQUE - CEA, INSTITUT NATIONAL POLYTECHNIQUE DE TOULOUSE-INPT reassignment COMMISSARIAT A L'ENERGIE ATOMIQUE - CEA CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE TYPOGRAPHICAL ERROR IN THE SECOND ASSIGNEE'S NAME PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 023096 FRAME 0317. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE SECOND ASSIGNEE'S NAME SHOULD READ: INSTITUT NATIONAL POLYTECHNIQUE DE TOULOUSE-INPT. Assignors: ROY, MARC, FERON, DAMIEN, BASSEGUY, REGINE, BERGEL, ALAIN, DA SILVA, SERGE, DE SILA MUNOZ, LEONARDO
Abandoned legal-status Critical Current

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    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C25—ELECTROLYTIC OR ELECTROPHORETIC PROCESSES; APPARATUS THEREFOR
    • C25B—ELECTROLYTIC OR ELECTROPHORETIC PROCESSES FOR THE PRODUCTION OF COMPOUNDS OR NON-METALS; APPARATUS THEREFOR
    • C25B11/00—Electrodes; Manufacture thereof not otherwise provided for
    • C25B11/04—Electrodes; Manufacture thereof not otherwise provided for characterised by the material
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C25—ELECTROLYTIC OR ELECTROPHORETIC PROCESSES; APPARATUS THEREFOR
    • C25B—ELECTROLYTIC OR ELECTROPHORETIC PROCESSES FOR THE PRODUCTION OF COMPOUNDS OR NON-METALS; APPARATUS THEREFOR
    • C25B1/00—Electrolytic production of inorganic compounds or non-metals
    • C25B1/01—Products
    • C25B1/02—Hydrogen or oxygen
    • C25B1/04—Hydrogen or oxygen by electrolysis of water
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C25—ELECTROLYTIC OR ELECTROPHORETIC PROCESSES; APPARATUS THEREFOR
    • C25B—ELECTROLYTIC OR ELECTROPHORETIC PROCESSES FOR THE PRODUCTION OF COMPOUNDS OR NON-METALS; APPARATUS THEREFOR
    • C25B9/00—Cells or assemblies of cells; Constructional parts of cells; Assemblies of constructional parts, e.g. electrode-diaphragm assemblies; Process-related cell features
    • C25B9/70—Assemblies comprising two or more cells
    • C25B9/73—Assemblies comprising two or more cells of the filter-press type
    • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
    • Y02E—REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION
    • Y02E60/00—Enabling technologies; Technologies with a potential or indirect contribution to GHG emissions mitigation
    • Y02E60/30—Hydrogen technology
    • Y02E60/36—Hydrogen production from non-carbon containing sources, e.g. by water electrolysis

Definitions

  • This invention pertains to the field of water electrolysis and more particularly, to a water electrolysis device for producing hydrogen.
  • a further object of this invention is to provide a water electrolysis device that comprises neither a corrosive electrolytic solution nor electrodes made of costly materials which degrade with time.
  • the object of this invention is to provide an electrolysis device intended to produce hydrogen by the reduction of water, comprising a cathode compartment, an anode compartment, and an element connecting said compartments and allowing ions to migrate between them, the device being characterized in that the cathode compartment contains at least one weak acid capable of catalyzing the reduction, and an electrolytic solution the pH of which lies in the range between 3 and 9.
  • said pH lies in the range between 4 and 9; preferably, it lies between 6 and 9, and more preferably, it is equal to 8.
  • the element connecting the compartments may be an electrochemical bridge known in the art, such as a cation-exchange membrane, a ceramic, and the like.
  • the electrolysis device of the present invention may preferably be proposed in the form of two embodiments which differ in the acid-base conditions of their cathode compartment, namely:
  • the weak acid intended to catalyze the reduction of water may be in the form of a salt (partially or totally dissolved in the electrolytic solution) and/or adsorbed onto the cathode.
  • the weak acid may be partially dissociated between its acid form and its conjugate base, and each of these two species may possibly contribute to the catalytic action.
  • the weak acid is selected so that its pKa is at least greater by one unit than the pH of the electrolytic solution contained in the cathode compartment. Under such conditions, it will undergo little or no dissociation. Therefore, all or most of the weak acid molecules preserve their acidic labile hydrogen atom. Since it is this atom which allows the reduction of water to be catalyzed, the catalytic potential of the weak acid is thus optimized.
  • the weak acid preferably has a pKa in the range between 3 and 9, and more preferably, between 3 and 5. Consequently, the hydrogen atom responsible for the catalytic effect of the weak acid is strongly labile and shows an increased acidic character, thus allowing it to better catalyze the reduction of water, which consequently requires less energy to occur.
  • glycolic acid which has a pKa of 3.83 and a high solubility of 11.6 M
  • the electrolytic solution in the cathode compartment which has a pH of 3.
  • OH and H + ions are produced, respectively, in the electrolytic solution contained in the cathode compartment and in that contained in the anode compartment.
  • at least one additional weak acid is added as a buffer to the electrolytic solution contained in the cathode and/or anode compartment so as to prevent or restrict pH variation of this solution or of these solutions during the reduction of water.
  • This additional acid selected as a function of the pH in the compartment to which it is added, may furthermore function as a catalyst for the reduction of water.
  • the pH variation of the electrolytic solution contained in the anode and/or cathode compartment does not vary during the reduction of water by more than two pH units, preferably by one pH unit.
  • said additional weak acid has the same chemical structure as the weak acid intended to catalyze the reduction.
  • FIG. 1 shows the variation of current as a function of time during constant-potential electrolysis.
  • FIG. 2 shows the variation as a function of time of the volume of hydrogen produced by electrolyzing an electrolytic solution of “KCl+dihydrogen phosphate”.
  • FIG. 3 shows the variation as a function of time of the potential across an electrolysis device according to this invention.
  • the weak acid may be mineral (such as orthophosphoric acid, dihydrogen phosphate, monohydrogen phosphate, and the like) or organic (such as lactic acid, gluconic acid, acetic acid, monochloroacetic acid, ascorbic acid, hydrogen sulfate, glycolic acid, amino acids, preferably leucine or lysine).
  • mineral such as orthophosphoric acid, dihydrogen phosphate, monohydrogen phosphate, and the like
  • organic such as lactic acid, gluconic acid, acetic acid, monochloroacetic acid, ascorbic acid, hydrogen sulfate, glycolic acid, amino acids, preferably leucine or lysine).
  • An electrolysis device has the following features:
  • the cathode compartment was sealed by a plug provided with a Teflon gasket and traversed by a pipe opening into a graduated test tube filled with water and turned upside down in a vessel which also contained water. It should be noted that the device according to the invention might also be used for producing oxygen, which would be generated within the anode compartment also sealed in a similar fashion.
  • FIG. 1 shows the variation of current as a function of time during constant-potential electrolysis of a reference electrolytic solution (denoted “KCl alone”) and of an electrolytic solution having a pH of 8.0 and containing dihydrogen phosphate (denoted “KCl+dihydrogen phosphate”).
  • Electrolyte (1) KCl (100 mM) (2) KCl (100 mM) + KH 2 PO 4 (500 mM) Cathode current From 4 to 13 A ⁇ m ⁇ 2 1.7 A ⁇ m ⁇ 2 (very stable) Hydrogen volume No 10 mL produced in observable 70 minutes production Hydrogen 0 mL/hr From 9 to 10 production mL/hr, or 4.5 to 5 rate L/hr/m 2
  • the electrolyses lasted 2 hours, with the temperature ranging from 20° C. to 25° C. in the three experiments.
  • the production of hydrogen, measured as described above, was on average of the order of 10 mL/hr, which corresponds to a “raw” Faraday efficiency of approximately 80%.
  • KOH a reference electrolytic solution
  • KOH—PO4 0.5M
  • dihydrogen phosphate as a catalyst here again allowed the energy efficiency to be improved, since an increase in potential of 200 and 600 mV relative to the reference electrolytic solution (I) was observed in the presence of 0.5 M and 1 M of dihydrogen phosphate, respectively.
  • dihydrogen phosphate in the electrolytic solution contained in the cathode compartment provides an energy gain of 13% and 33% for a concentration of 0.5 M and 1 M of dihydrogen phosphate, respectively.
  • the energy efficiency is roughly proportional to the weak acid concentration. Therefore, this concentration may advantageously be increased as long as the energy efficiency increases, in particular up to the point where the weak acid precipitates and/or becomes excessively adsorbed onto the cathode.
  • the electrolysis device according to the invention in both of its main embodiments, advantageously leads to excellent Faraday efficiency during the production of hydrogen.
  • the stainless steel cathodes of the electrolysis device according to the invention do not suffer any observable degradation.
  • the use of an electrolytic solution of moderate pH in the cathode compartment, combined with the catalyzing power of the weak acid it contains therefore permits the manufacture of a high performance electrolysis device which comprises at least one element in contact with the electrolytic solution in the cathode compartment, this element being partially or entirely made of at least one less noble material.
  • a less noble material appropriate in the implementation of the present invention may be selected from the group consisting of the conductive polymers, the oxidized or non-oxidized forms of Fe, Cr, Ni or Co. This material may be included in the composition of parts of the electrolysis device such as electrodes, compartment walls, circuits for circulating the solutions, etc.
  • the element may thus be a stainless steel cathode, preferably made of 316 L stainless steel.

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  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Chemical Kinetics & Catalysis (AREA)
  • Electrochemistry (AREA)
  • Materials Engineering (AREA)
  • Metallurgy (AREA)
  • Organic Chemistry (AREA)
  • Inorganic Chemistry (AREA)
  • Electrolytic Production Of Non-Metals, Compounds, Apparatuses Therefor (AREA)
  • Water Treatment By Electricity Or Magnetism (AREA)
US12/375,088 2006-07-25 2007-06-11 Water electrolysis device Abandoned US20090294282A1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
FR0606772A FR2904330B1 (fr) 2006-07-25 2006-07-25 Dispositif d'electrolyse de l'eau et son utilisation pour produire de l'hydrogene
FR0606772 2006-07-25
PCT/FR2007/000949 WO2008012403A2 (fr) 2006-07-25 2007-06-11 Dispositif d'electrolyse de l'eau

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
US20090294282A1 true US20090294282A1 (en) 2009-12-03

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US12/375,088 Abandoned US20090294282A1 (en) 2006-07-25 2007-06-11 Water electrolysis device

Country Status (7)

Country Link
US (1) US20090294282A1 (fr)
EP (1) EP2047011B1 (fr)
AU (1) AU2007279151B2 (fr)
CA (1) CA2658910A1 (fr)
FR (1) FR2904330B1 (fr)
RU (1) RU2413795C2 (fr)
WO (1) WO2008012403A2 (fr)

Cited By (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US20100101955A1 (en) * 2008-06-18 2010-04-29 Massachusetts Institute Of Technology Catalytic materials, electrodes, and systems for water electrolysis and other electrochemical techniques
US20110048962A1 (en) * 2009-08-27 2011-03-03 Sun Catalytix Corporation Compositions, electrodes, methods, and systems for water electrolysis and other electrochemical techniques
US20120103829A1 (en) * 2009-07-10 2012-05-03 Alessandro Tampucci Device for the production on-demand of hydrogen by electrolysis of aqueous solutions from dry cathode
US20200299848A1 (en) * 2017-12-11 2020-09-24 Arizona Board Of Regents On Behalf Of The University Of Arizona Enhanced water electrolysis with protic co-catalysts
US20210147988A1 (en) * 2018-05-08 2021-05-20 Torvex Energy Limited Electrochemical production of hydrogen from sea water
WO2023111578A2 (fr) 2021-12-17 2023-06-22 Brunel University London Cellule électrochimique à surtension réduite
WO2023138807A1 (fr) * 2022-01-21 2023-07-27 Siemens Energy Global GmbH & Co. KG Systèmes à tampon pour éviter la dégradation due à la corrosion dans l'électrolyse de l'eau à membrane échangeuse de protons

Families Citing this family (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR2940325B1 (fr) 2008-12-23 2011-03-04 Toulouse Inst Nat Polytech Nouveau procede electrochimique pour la production d'hydrogene et dispositif pour sa mise en oeuvre
FR2947841B1 (fr) 2009-07-08 2012-01-06 Jean-Marc Fleury Systemes de conversion de l'energie a champ electrique augmente.
CN105684203B (zh) 2013-09-25 2019-07-26 洛克希德马丁能量有限公司 液流电池电解质平衡策略

Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4470894A (en) * 1983-08-01 1984-09-11 At&T Bell Laboratories Nickel electrodes for water electrolyzers
US4668349A (en) * 1986-10-24 1987-05-26 The Standard Oil Company Acid promoted electrocatalytic reduction of carbon dioxide by square planar transition metal complexes
US5776328A (en) * 1991-06-27 1998-07-07 De Nora Permelec S.P.A. Apparatus and process for electrochemically decomposing salt solutions to form the relevant base and acid
US6869517B2 (en) * 2001-10-22 2005-03-22 Halox Technologies, Inc. Electrolytic process and apparatus

Family Cites Families (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JPS5760086A (en) * 1980-09-29 1982-04-10 Showa Denko Kk Cathode for electrolyzing water and its manufacture
DE4000811A1 (de) * 1989-02-16 1990-08-23 Satzinger Gebhard Gmbh Co Elektrolyt fuer galvanische zellen fuer die erzeugung von gasen und seine verwendung
BR9906021A (pt) * 1999-12-30 2001-09-25 Opp Petroquimica S A Catodo para uso em células eletrolìticas e aplicação do mesmo

Patent Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4470894A (en) * 1983-08-01 1984-09-11 At&T Bell Laboratories Nickel electrodes for water electrolyzers
US4668349A (en) * 1986-10-24 1987-05-26 The Standard Oil Company Acid promoted electrocatalytic reduction of carbon dioxide by square planar transition metal complexes
US5776328A (en) * 1991-06-27 1998-07-07 De Nora Permelec S.P.A. Apparatus and process for electrochemically decomposing salt solutions to form the relevant base and acid
US6869517B2 (en) * 2001-10-22 2005-03-22 Halox Technologies, Inc. Electrolytic process and apparatus

Cited By (11)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US20100101955A1 (en) * 2008-06-18 2010-04-29 Massachusetts Institute Of Technology Catalytic materials, electrodes, and systems for water electrolysis and other electrochemical techniques
US20120103829A1 (en) * 2009-07-10 2012-05-03 Alessandro Tampucci Device for the production on-demand of hydrogen by electrolysis of aqueous solutions from dry cathode
US9340882B2 (en) * 2009-07-10 2016-05-17 Acta S.P.A. Device for the production on-demand of hydrogen by electrolysis of aqueous solutions from dry cathode
US20110048962A1 (en) * 2009-08-27 2011-03-03 Sun Catalytix Corporation Compositions, electrodes, methods, and systems for water electrolysis and other electrochemical techniques
WO2011028262A3 (fr) * 2009-08-27 2011-08-04 Sun Catalytix Corporation Compositions, électrodes, procédés et systèmes pour l'électrolyse de l'eau et d'autres techniques électrochimiques
US8361288B2 (en) 2009-08-27 2013-01-29 Sun Catalytix Corporation Compositions, electrodes, methods, and systems for water electrolysis and other electrochemical techniques
US20200299848A1 (en) * 2017-12-11 2020-09-24 Arizona Board Of Regents On Behalf Of The University Of Arizona Enhanced water electrolysis with protic co-catalysts
US11846032B2 (en) * 2017-12-11 2023-12-19 Arizona Board Of Regents On Behalf Of The University Of Arizona Enhanced water electrolysis with protic co-catalysts
US20210147988A1 (en) * 2018-05-08 2021-05-20 Torvex Energy Limited Electrochemical production of hydrogen from sea water
WO2023111578A2 (fr) 2021-12-17 2023-06-22 Brunel University London Cellule électrochimique à surtension réduite
WO2023138807A1 (fr) * 2022-01-21 2023-07-27 Siemens Energy Global GmbH & Co. KG Systèmes à tampon pour éviter la dégradation due à la corrosion dans l'électrolyse de l'eau à membrane échangeuse de protons

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
AU2007279151A1 (en) 2008-01-31
EP2047011A2 (fr) 2009-04-15
EP2047011B1 (fr) 2020-04-08
CA2658910A1 (fr) 2008-01-31
WO2008012403A3 (fr) 2008-08-07
RU2009106257A (ru) 2010-08-27
FR2904330B1 (fr) 2009-01-02
FR2904330A1 (fr) 2008-02-01
WO2008012403A2 (fr) 2008-01-31
RU2413795C2 (ru) 2011-03-10
AU2007279151B2 (en) 2012-08-23

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Free format text: CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE TYPOGRAPHICAL ERROR IN THE SECOND ASSIGNEE'S NAME PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 023096 FRAME 0317. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE SECOND ASSIGNEE'S NAME SHOULD READ: INSTITUT NATIONAL POLYTECHNIQUE DE TOULOUSE-INPT;ASSIGNORS:BASSEGUY, REGINE;BERGEL, ALAIN;DA SILVA, SERGE;AND OTHERS;SIGNING DATES FROM 20090506 TO 20090803;REEL/FRAME:027583/0081

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Free format text: CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE TYPOGRAPHICAL ERROR IN THE SECOND ASSIGNEE'S NAME PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 023096 FRAME 0317. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE SECOND ASSIGNEE'S NAME SHOULD READ: INSTITUT NATIONAL POLYTECHNIQUE DE TOULOUSE-INPT;ASSIGNORS:BASSEGUY, REGINE;BERGEL, ALAIN;DA SILVA, SERGE;AND OTHERS;SIGNING DATES FROM 20090506 TO 20090803;REEL/FRAME:027583/0081

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