Membrane, electrochemical cell, and electrolysis process

摘要

An ion exchange membrane which comprises a layer of fluorinated polymer which has carboxylic functional groups, a second layer of fluorinated polymer which has sulfonic or carboxylic functional groups at a surface layer, and a web of support material therein, and which has channels in the membrane which extend from window areas of the membrane to blind areas of the membrane occluded by members of the support material, is described. Precursor membrane which contains both reinforcement members and sacrificial members, and from which the ion exchange membrane is made, is also described. The ion exchange membrane can be used to separate the compartments of a chloralkali cell, and such a cell operates at low voltage, high current efficiency, and low power consumption.