Does the chlor-alkali industry produce sodium hypochlorite? Sodium hydroxide must be at the anode; then what is at the cathode?...
Thread Content
Does the chlor-alkali industry produce sodium hypochlorite? Sodium hydroxide must be at the anode; then what is at the cathode?...
From the perspective of actual production, the chlor-alkali industry does produce sodium hypochlorite; this is because part of the chlorine gas generated at the anode dissolves in water. Sodium hydroxide, on the other hand, is a product of the cathode – hydrogen ions released as a result of water electrolysis gain electrons and form hydrogen gas, which leaves the system, thereby allowing hydroxide ions to remain free.
So, originally, hydroxide ions are at the cathode while sodium ions are at the anode. The ions move; sodium ions that reach the cathode combine with hydroxide ions to form sodium hydroxide. Hydroxide ions that reach the anode combine with sodium ions to form hydroxide, which is then reacted by chlorine to produce sodium chloride and sodium hypochlorite. Therefore, sodium hydroxide is formed at the cathode and sodium hypochlorite at the anode?
The solution remains homogeneous and stable; thus, initially, equal amounts of chloride ions, sodium ions, water molecules (along with their ionized hydrogen ions and hydroxide ions) were present in both the cathode and anode regions. When electricity is applied, hydrogen gas is produced at the cathode, along with hydroxide ions, while chlorine gas is produced at the anode. If a cation exchange membrane is used, sodium ions will flow from the anode to the cathode, but hydroxide ions will not flow from the cathode to the anode. Sodium hypochlorite produced in the chlor-alkali industry is primarily obtained through the use of chlorine gas, as the chlor-alkali industry is not limited to just the electrolysis of saturated salt water.
So, originally, hydroxide ions are at the cathode while sodium ions are at the anode. The ions move; the sodium ions that reach the cathode combine with hydroxide ions to form sodium hydroxide. Meanwhile, the hydroxide ions that reach the anode combine with sodium ions to form hydroxide, which is then reacted by chlorine to produce sodium chloride and sodium hypochlorite. Therefore, sodium hydroxide is formed at the cathode and sodium hypochlorite at the anode? Okay, thank you
The original poster should find a technical book on chlor-alkali and read it carefully. The book usually covers the principles of such electrolytic reactions, as well as the structure and conditions of the reactor.