| 摘要 |
A system is provided for regenerating reducing agents used in ancillary chemical or electrochemical processes such as restoring solderability of electronic components to be soldered in a fluxless soldering process. The system includes a cathode, an anode, and an electrolyte system that is separated by a semipermeable ionic barrier into a catholyte and an anolyte. The catholyte includes the reduced member of a redox couple, which can be regenerated electrochemically. The redox couple of the electrolyte system is charged like a battery and discharged during the ancillary process. Regeneration of the reduced member of the redox couple is accomplished at the cathode, which may evolve hydrogen gas. Chemical balance is maintained by the semipermeable ionic barrier, which permits proton migration from the anolyte to the catholyte but acts as a barrier against diffusion and migration of cations from the catholyte to the anolyte. Ideally, the anodic reaction is breakdown of water to form oxygen, which is vented, and protons that migrate across the ionic barrier to the catholyte replacing protons consumed in the ancillary process. The overall reaction in a fluxless soldering system is reduction of metallic oxides to metal, electrochemical regeneration of reducing agents, release of oxygen, and evolution of hydrogen to produce a reducing atmosphere in an enclosed chamber containing the fluxless soldering system.
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