Selection of the Optimal Cathode Material to Synthesize Medical Sodium Hypochlorite Solutions in a Membraneless Electrolyzer

Resumo

The peculiarities of the cathode reduction of ClO^– and ClO^–₃ ions in a membraneless electrolyzer for the synthesis of sodium hypochlorite solutions to be used in human and veterinary medicine are studied. It is shown that, under the galvanostatic conditions of the electrolysis, the rate of hypochlorite ion reduction depends on the cathode current density, and it is hardly influenced by the cathode material. It is possible to decrease greatly the loss of ClO^– on the cathode, especially at high volume current densities, using electrolysis at a cathode current density over 40 mА/сm². It is demonstrated that, for a flow-through coaxial cell, the most suitable material for the cathode is VT1-0 titanium with polished surface.