Production of chlorine dioxide in an electrolytic cell

摘要

Chlorine dioxide is produced electrolytically in the cathode compartment of an electrolytic cell using a three-dimensional high surface-area cathode. The cathode compartment is separated from an anode compartment by a cation-exchange membrane. Sodium chlorate is reacted with hydrogen ions and chloride ions in the cathode compartment and chlorine dioxide is vented from the cathode compartments. Chlorine co-produced with the chlorine dioxide is reduced at the cathode to provide chloride ions for the reaction while electrolytically-produced hydrogen ions are transferred across the membrane from the anode compartment to the cathode compartment to provide hydrogen ions for the reaction.