Electrolytic process and apparatus

摘要

Disclosed is an electrolytic cell having an anode, a cathode, and a synthetic fluoro-carbon-resin permionic membrane between the anode and cathode. The improvement is characterized by the fluorocarbon-resin permionic membrane being a fluorinated copolymer having carboxylic acid ion exchange groups and the cathode having a catalytic, non-ferrous surface. Also disclosed is a process of producing an alkali metal hydroxide by electrolyzing an aqueous alkali metal chloride brine in an electrolytic cell having the anode separated from a catalytic, non-ferrous cathode by a synthetic fluorocarbon-resin permionic membrane having carboxylic acid ion exchange groups.