PROCESS FOR THE ELECTROLYTIC PRODUCTION OF HYDROGEN

Abstract: Hydrogen is produced by the electrolysis of an aqueous alkaline solution using a cathode comprising fine particles of a hydrided form of an AB₅ alloy, in which A is wholly or principally rare earth metal or calcium and B is wholly or principally nickel or cobalt, bonded with a metallic or electrically conductive plastic binder. The cathode may for example be made by bonding LaNi₅ or CaNi₅ particles by sintering with iron or nickel powder or by means of a binder comprising fibrillated PTFE made conductive with carbon black.

Description: Process for the electrolytic production of hydrogen This invention relates to the electrolytic production of hydrogen by the electrolysis of aqueous alkali and alkaline chloride solutions. It is well known that passage of direct current between an anode and a cathode in an aqueous solution of an electrolyte containing no ions more readily electrodepositable than hydrogen will result in the production of gaseous hydrogen at the cathode. Industrially, hydrogen Is produced by electrolysis of alkaline solutions such as aqueous solutions of potassium hydroxide, sodium hydroxide, alkaline sodium chloride and the like. One of the main features of such electrolyses which determines to a great part the efficiency of the electrolysis process is the selection of electrode materials, both anode and cathode, to provide in a practical manner the lowest overpotential for the electrochemical processes occurring at those electrodes. The present invention is concerned with the cathodic process of releasing gaseous hydrogen at the cathode. In the past it has been conventional to use iron, nickel, cobalt or alloys of these metals as cathodes because, in physical forms available for cathode structures, these metals are capable of giving overpotentials as low as about 300 mV when operated at commercially useful cathode current densities of about 900 mA/cm2. While other group VIII metals, notably platinum, are capable of exhibiting much lower overpotentials for release of hydrogen, precious metals of the group VIII class are too expensive for use in normal commercial installations. We have now found that it is advantageous to use a cathode that contains as the essential cathode active material a hydrided alloy having the structure of an intermetallic compound of the formula AB5, wherein A is principally nickel or cobalt or both, the alloy being in the form of fine particles bond by a metallic or electrically conductive plastic binder. According to the invention, therefore, a process for the electrolysis of water comprises electrolytically generating hydrogen at, and recovering it as gas from, the interface of an aqueous alkaline solution and a cathode that comprises a hydrogenated species of an ABn material including an AB5 phase, wherein A is rare earth metal or calcium, or two or more of these elements, and B is nickel, cobalt or both, the ABn material being in the form of fine particles bonded by a metallic or electrically conductive plastic binder. It is important to use fine particles in order to ensure stability of the cathode structure, and preferably the particle size does not exceed 20 ssm (micrometres). The structures of typical cathodes used in the process of the invention are shown in the accompanying drawings, which are reproductions of photomicrographs and in which: Figures 1A and 1B depict at a magnification of X 1000 a pressed and sintered mixture of 50% by weight nickel powder and 50% LaNi .Al prior to electrolysis and after 24 hours of electrolysis, respectively; Figures 2A and 2B depict at a magnification of X 1000 a similar sintered mixture in which a polysilicate binder was employed, Figure 2A showing material prior to electrolysis and Figure 2B showing cathode material after about 170 hours of electrolysis; and Figures 3A and 3B depict at a magnification of X 3000 a plastic bonded electrode prior to electrolysis and after 6 hours of electrolysis, respectively. The photomicrographs in Figures 1B, 2B and 3B show the structures after dehydriding. Comparison of these Figures with the corresponding A Figures shows that the structures remain stable after prolonged electrolysis, although some microcracking of individual particles of the AB material has occurred. n Materials having the structure AB5 are known to form compounds with hydrogen (see U.S. Patents Nos. 4,161,401; 4,161,402; 4,152,145; 4,222,770; 4,242,315; 4,249,940; 3,793,435; 3,825,418; 4,142,300). The hydrogen compounds are, in fact, those materials which are actually present in the cathode when hydrogen is evolving. For example, a cathode made with LaNi5 will actually contain LaNi5Hx, where x is a number between perhaps 4 and 8, during hydrogen evolution from such a cathode. It is also known that hydrogen storage materials such as LaNi5 can be used as electrodes in secondary batteries (see U.S. Patent Nos. 3,520,728; 3,669,745; 3,874,928; 3,881,960; 3,980,501; 4,004,943; 4,025,412; 4,048,407; 4,107,395). However, as far as we are aware, it has not been the intention with these batteries that hydrogen be evolved and collected from the battery electrodes. Nor, as far as we are aware, has the art disclosed any advantage for release of hydrogen from such hydride electrodes. As those skilled in the metallurgical art will appreciate, an intermetallic structure such as AB5 will persist at chemistries significantly varying from the exact AB5 stoichiometry. In this regard reference is made to the La/Ni phase diagram which shows LaNi5 existing in association with La2Nil7 from about 78 to 83 atomic percent (A/o) nickel and in association with nickel at atomic percentages of nickel higher than about 83.5 and approaching 100 A/o nickel. (See Journal of the Less Common Metals, Vol. 29 (1972) p. 203 at 206). Thus, for the purposes of the present invention, the composition of cathode materials useful in the hydrogen production process can vary from about AB4 to AB8, or even wider, so long as the cathode as made contains a significant amount, for example at least about 30% by weight, of the AB5 hydridable structure. With respect to the component A of the AB5 structure, one or both of the metals zirconium and thorium can replace up to about 20 A/o of rare earth metal on an atom-for-atom basis. With respect to the B component, one or more of the metals aluminium, copper, tin, iron, and chromium can substitute on an atom-foratom basis for up to about 1.5 of the 5 atoms of nickel or cobalt in the AB5 compound. Cobalt and nickel are equivalents for purposes of the invention. However, cobalt-rich compounds such as SmCo5 are not ordinarily used because of cost. We prefer to use as the AB5 phase compounds of lanthanum or other rare earth metal with nickel, or with nickel in which up to 7.5 of the 5 atoms is replaced by chromium or copper, or a compound essentially of the composition CaNi5. Rare earths used in the ABg compound in preparing cathodes for use in the process of the present invention are conveniently in the form of relatively inexpensive mixtures such as mischmetal (M) or cerium-free mischmetal (CFM). Compositions in weight percent, of commonly available grades of these mixtures are set forth in Table I. Table I Element M CFM Ce 48 - 50 about 0.8 La 32 - 34 about 61.6 Pr 4 - 5 about 9.2 Nd 13 - 14 about 28.5 In making cathodes for use in the process of the present invention, the AB5 material may conveniently be reduced to a fine powder not exceeding 20 ssm in particle size (e.g. 5-20 ssm) by subjecting AB5 metal granules to one or more hydriding-dehydriding cycles. As is well known in the metal hydride art (see for example Philips Res. Reports 25, 133-140, 1970), rare earth-nickel AB5 compounds will absorb large amounts of hydrogen at any given temperature over the operating range of the specific compound provided hydrogen is present at a minimum pressure known as the "plateau pressure. Initial hydriding may require significantly higher hydrogen pressures than the "plateau pressure" to initiate pickup of hydrogen. Once hydriding starts, metal granules of AB5 tend to increase somewhat in volume due to hydrogen absorption and become microcracked If dehydriding follows the hydriding (carried out by lowering the hydriding pressure below the "plateau pressure") a second and subsequent hydriding operation will occur at or around the "plateau pressure" and the original granular metal structure will be replaced through continuous microcracking by the fine powder metal form mentioned hereinbefore. The fine powder particles are then bonded together in any convenient way by means of an electrically conductive plastic binder or by metallurgical bonding (sintering) with a metallic binder to form the cathode structure per se or as a coating bonded on a cathode substrate. Our preferred plastic binder is fibrillated polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE). Plastic bonding of finely powdered AB5 alloy may be effected, for example, by blending it with shear along with finely divided carbon black, a thermoplastic water-soluble resin (e.g. polyethylene oxide) and a support polymer (e.g. polyethylene). The blended material is then formed into an electrode shape, with or without a metallic current distributor, and then leached in water to remove the water-soluble resin. In forming the plastic bonded electrode around a metallic current distributor one can employ any conventional technique employed for plastic coating of metal. For example, one can grind the compounded material containing water-soluble resin to a fine powder and coat the metal current distributor by slurry or electrostatic means. In these cases after any carrier is volatilised, the fine particles are subjected to a heating operation on the metallic support to melt the resins and form a consolidated coating. Alternatively, the fine particles of compounded material can be fluidised, the metal support can be heated and the heated support dipped into the fluidised plastic compounded material. Upon contact the plastic bonded particles will melt and adhere to the metal substrate. In each case, after coating has taken place and the coating is consolidated by the heating operation, the water-soluble resin is leached from the compounded material. Typical mixtures, in percent by weight, for forming plastic bonded cathodes are set forth in Table II. Table II Component Range, wt. % Optimum, wt. % PTFE 1-4 1-2 Polyethylene 0-4 0-2 Carbon black 1-5 2-3 Polyethylene oxide 7-15 8-10 Electrocatalyst powder Bal Bal Other support polymers that may be used in place of polyethylene include other polyolefins, aromatic polymers (e.g. polystyrene), or halogen-substituted polymerse.g. polyvinyl chloride, and other water-soluble resins that may replace polyethylene oxide are polyvinyl alcohol, polyacrylic acid, sulphonated polystyrene and N, polyvinyl pyrrolidone. It is to be observed that although watersoluble resins are employed in compositions in Table II, such resins can be replaced by other resins which can be selectively dissolved away from the polyethylene or other support polymer. For example, natural shellac, soluble in ethanol, could be used as a selectively soluble resin with polyethylene. When formulating a composition within the ranges set forth in Table II, one should take care to provide sufficient shear-inducing mechanical work to fibrillate the PTFE. The carbon black employed should be an electroconductive grade with a fibrous structure, and in blending carbon black into the cathode mixture, care should be taken not to perform so much mechanical work that the fibrous structure of the black is broken down and the conductive character of the black is destroyed. Within the compositional limits set forth in Table II the total polymer content of the mixture is preferably from 8 to 15 weight percent. At higher polymer contents, the electrical conductivity of the finished electrode is lower. With less polymer, the mixture does not blend and flow properly, and subsequent pressing is adversely affected. To obtain an electrode structure with adequate mechanical strength, it is essential to work the mixture, e.g. by grinding it in a motorised mortar and pestle, so as to fibrillate the PTFE. It may then be further worked under pressure to a homogeneous mixture in sheet form, and electrode blanks cut from the sheets laminated by pressing with nickel screen or other foraminous nickel or steel material, which imparts strength to the finished electrode and also serves as a current collector. Finally the water-soluble polymer is leached from the cathode by soaking in water, and the cathode is dried and pressed between two fine metal screens. Pressures are suitably from 7.66 x 105 to 1.53 x 106 Pa, and this final pressing may be carried out at 1200C if the electrode contains both PTFE and polyethylene; or at 1770C when no polyethylene or equivalent thermoplastic material is used. In some instances, electrodes can be improved by being preconditiomd electrolytically. To do this, the cathodes are charged, i.e. hydrogen is generated and incorporated into the electrocatalyst. This produces AB5Hy, where y is most probably a number in the range of 6-7. The cathodes are then discharged, i.e. the hydrogen in the electrocatalyst is released and electrochemically oxidised to water at the cathode surface. This preconditioning sometimes results in lower hydrogen evolution overpotentials during subsequent operation. In the bulk of instances however, no advantage is seen in electrolytic preconditioning. Cathode structures useful in the process of the present invention can also be made by metallurgical bonding using about 30% to about 70% by weight of finely powdered AB5 alloy made as described hereinbefore with the balance being bonding metal resistant to an aqueous alkali or alkaline chloride electrolyte. For most practical purposes, the bonding metal will be finely powdered iron or nickel or alloys or mixtures of these metals alone or with cobalt. In certain instances, one might use platinum group metals or chromium alone or along with powdered iron or nickel. However, because of the expense of these materials and the difficulty in sintering chromium, it is not likely that significant use of these metals will occur. Except for minor alloying quantities used in iron or nickel bonding materials, one should avoid metals such as copper, aluminium, zinc and tin for metallurgical bonding of AB5 cathode material. When iron, nickel and iron-nickel alloys and mixtures are used as the bonding metal, the mixed AB5-bonding metal material, along with or without aqueous silica sol binder, is subjected (after binder drying and/or pressing, if necessary ) to a sintering operation which conveniently is carried out in a protective atmosphere, e.g. hydrogen, cracked ammonia or inert gas, at temperature/time conditions varying from about 1 hour at 7600C to about 5 to about 10 minutes at 9000C. Sintering temperatures above about 95O0C should be avoided. Generally, it has been observed that sintering for the shortest time at the lowest practical temperature is most advantageous. Excellent results have been obtained by sintering at 8O00C for about 10 minutes in a hydrogen or cracked ammonia atmosphere. While these conditions have been established for bonding with fine, nickel powder (nickel powder grade 123 Inco Ltd.) and may vary somewhat when using iron or iron-nickel alloys or mixtures, the basic criterion. of a satisfactory sintering operation is a relatively strong particle-toparticle bond while retaining the identity of the AB5 material. Sintering should not be carried out for such times and at such temperatures that excessive diffusion of nickel or iron into the AB5 structure occurs. Those skilled in the art will readily appreciate the strength-composition balance which must be retained and will be able, with minor amount of testing, to determine optimum sintering conditions for any AB5-bonding metal composition. The electrolysis may be performed using aqueous alkali or alkaline chloride electrolytes, and at a cathode current densities (based on the gross, apparent surface area of the cathode) of at least 100 mA/cm2, and a temperature of at least 600C. By way of example, cathodes constructed as set forth and described in the following examples were employed in a process in accordance with the present invention. In this process, hydrogen was electrolytically evolved at and collected from a cathode surface in an aqueous alkaline electrolyte containing 30% by weight of KOH maintained at a temperature of 80 C. Nickel was employed as the anode and the cathode current density was uniformly 200 mA/cm2 based upon the gross, apparent surface area of the cathode. Results were obtained in terms of overpotential (R) based upon measurement of potential difference between the active, hydrogen-evolving cathode and a saturated calomel or mercury/mercuric oxide reference electrode with computer correction of the observed data to account for resistive effects in the measuring circuit. EXAMPLE 1 A plastic bonded hydrogen evolution cathode was prepared from a blend of the following ingredients. Component Particle Size Wt. % LaNi 0.3 < 44ssm 86 PTFE 35m 1 Polyethylene 20m 2 Carbon black 3 Polyethylene oxide 8 The blend was ground for about one hour in a mortar and pestle to fibrillate the PTFE. The mixture was then worked at about 1200C under pressures of up to t.6 x 106 Pa until a homogenous mixture in sheet form resulted. Electrode blanks cut from the sheets were 7 laminated with nickel screen by pressing at 2.23 x 10 Pa at 1200C. The water-soluble polymer was leached from the cathode by soaking in water for about 24 hours. The cathode was then dried and pressed at 1200C between two fine metal screens at 7.66 x 105 -1.53 x 106 Pa. After preconditioning, the cathode was used to evolve hydrogen in 30 w/o KOH (aqueous) electrolyte at 80 C. The cathode current density was 200 mA/cm2. After 6 hours of continuous electrolysis, a cathode overpotential of 95 mV was measured. This measured value contained a small potential component due to uncompensated resistance losses in the measuring circuit. EXAMPLE 2 Using the procedure described in Example 1, a hydrogen evolution cathode was made from the following mixture: Component Particle Size Wt. % LaNi@ @Al@ @ < 0.44 m 86 2 PTFE 3Sttm Polyethylene oxide 10 Carbon black 2 Final pressing was at 1770C at a pressure of 7.66 x 105 Pa. After preconditioning, the cathode was used to evolve hydrogen as in Example 1. After 6 hours of continuous electrolysis, a cathode overpotential of 132 mV at 200 mA/cm2 was measured. The measured value included a potential component due to resistance losses in the measuring circuit. EXAMPLE 3 Using the procedure described in Example 1, a hydrogen evolution cathode was made from the following mixture: Component Particle Size Wt. % LANi 7A'10 < 0.44im 86 PTFE 35ssm 1 Polyethylene 20m 2 Carbon black 3 Polyethylene oxide 8 Final pressing was at 1200C at a pressure of 1.15 x 106 Pa. The cathode was used without preconditioning to evolve hydrogen in 30 w/o KOH (aqueous) electrolyte at 80 C; the cathode current density was 200 mA/cm2. At the start of electrolysis a relatively high overpotential for the evolution of hydrogen was noted. After a few hours of operation, this overpotential dropped and, after more than 1400 hours of continuous electrolysis, a cathode overpotential of 258 mV was measured. After correcting for uncompensated resistance losses in the measuring circuit, the overpotential was 70 mV. EXAMPLES 4 to 7 Hyrdrogen evolution cathodes were made by pressing mixed LaNi4.7Al0.3 (40-70 w/o) and type 123 4. 2 nickel powders at about 4.22 x 109 dynes/cm2. The electrodes were then sintered under a hydrogen atmosphere for 10 minutes at 9000C. The results of the electrochemical experiments are given in Table IIT. EXAMPLE 8 A hydrogen evolution cathode was made by applying a porous sintered coating of LaNi4 5AIo 5 (50%) and Type 123 nickel powders to mild steel screen. After more than 170 hours of continuous electrolysis at 200 mA/cm2, a cathode overpotential of 191 mV was measured. Correction for uncompensated resistance losses in the measuring circuit revealed an overpotential of 102 mV. EXAMPLES 9, 10 and 11 Using procedures described in Example 3, plastic-bonded hydrogen evolution cathodes were made using the following mixture. Component Particle Size Wt. % Hydridable alloy < 0.44ssm 86 PTFE 35 m 1 Polyethylene 20m 2 Carbon black 3 Polyethylene oxide 8 After 6 hours of continuous electrolysis at 200 mA/cm2, the following results were observed: Measured Corrected Ex. No. Hydridable Alloy Overpotential Overpotential 9 LaNi3Co2 96 mV 43 mV 10 LaNi4Cu 130 mV 46 mV 11 CaNi5 232 mV 80 mV EXAMPLE 12 Hydrogen evolution cathodes were made by mixing various proportions of LaNi4.7Al0.3 with nickel 123 powder and incorporating these mixtures into a slurry containing a polysilicate material as a water dispersible binder. The polysilicate slurries contained, in parts by weight, per 100 parts of total nickel plus LaNi4 7Alo 3, the following ingredients: Water 39.1 Xanthan gum 0.35 Polysilicate 7.00 The various slurries were coated on to pieces of screen grossly 4.4 cm In area on one side. The coating was by dipping and, after coating, interstices of the screen were open. Once coated, the screens were dried and then subjected to sintering. Electrochemical testing of the coated and sintered screens as cathodes gave the results set forth in Table IV. Table III Hrs. of Continuous Ex. No. Mixture Electrolysis (200 mA/cm2) Measured # Corrected # 4 60% Ni 123-40%LaNi4.7Al0.3 47.0 118 mV 96 mV 5 50% Ni 123-50%LaNi4.7Al0.3 28.5 136 mV 86 mV 6 40% Ni 123-60%LaNi4.7Al0.3 72.0 97 mV 81 mV 7 30% Ni 123-70%LaNi4.7Al0.3 51.0 123 mV 77 mV Table IV Overpotential Weight of Electrolysis at 200 mA/cm2 Electrode Coating Metal Time (Uncorrected) Overpotential (mV) Computer Corrected* %LaNi4.7Al0.3 (g) Hrs. mV 1-200 mA/cm2 10-200 mA/cm2 10-600 mA/cm2 SINTERING TEMPERATURE (800 C) 70 0.6079 23 129 64 (0.960) 68 (0.962) 77 (0.961) 60 0.7330 23 128 79 (0.963) 80 (0.984) 86 (0.961) 50 0.5168 23 157 79 (0.990) 81 (0.991) 94 (0.935) 40 0.6318 71 124 73 (0.970) 75 (0.991) 73 (0.980) 30 0.4300 23 346 216 (0.931) 285 (0.992) 321 (0.994) SINTERING TEMPERATURE (900 C) 70 0.5028 23 183 74 (0.985) 73 (0.975) 80 (0.837) 60 0.5675 23 173 78 (0.960) 80 (0.964) 89 (0.933) 50 0.6359 23 136 70 (0.942) 74 (0.946) 87 (0.942) 40 0.7033 71 271 116 (0.948) 134 (0.948) 207 (0.970) 30 0.7305 23 390 366 (0.988) 1 1 381 (0.999)

Claims: Claims 1. A process for the electrolysis of water comprising electrolytically generating hydrogen gas at, and recovering it from, the interface of an aqueous alkaline solution and a cathode, characterised in that the cathode comprises a hydrogenated species of an ABn material including an ABg phase, wherein A is a rare earth metal or calcium, or two or more of these elements, of which up to 0.2 atoms in total may be replaced atom for atom by one or both of zirconium and thorium, and B is nickel, cobalt or both, of which up to 1.5 atoms in total may be replaced atom for atom by one or more of copper, aluminium, tin, iron and chromium, and that the particles of the ABn material do not exceed 20m in size and are bonded by a metallic or electrically conductive plastic binder. 2. A process according to claim 1 in which the AB5 phase is a rare earth metal-nickel phase of which up to 1.5 atoms of the nickel are replaced by copper or aluminium. 3. A process according to claim 2 in which the rare earth metal is lanthanum. 4. A process according to claim 2 in which the ABg phase is essentially Lands. 5. A process according to claim 1 in which the ABg phase is essentially CaNi5, 6. A process according to any preceding clain in which the sintered or bonded ABn material is in the form of a coating on a metallic current distributor. 7. A process according-to any preceding claim in which the particles of ABn material are bonded by sintering with nickel or iron powder. 8. A process according to any one of claims 1 to 6 in which the particles of ABn phase are bonded by a plastic binder which includes fibrillated polytetrafluoroethylene and is rendered electroconductive by the presence of carbon black. 9. A process according to any preceding claim in which the cathode current density (based on the gross, apparent surface area of the cathode) is at least 100 mA/cm2 and the temperature is at least 60"C. 10. A cathode for use in a process according to any preceding claim, characterised in that the ABn material is formed into a fine powder of particle size not exceeding 20ssm by alternately hydriding and dehydriding, and the fine powder particles are then bonded together by the metallic or electrically conductive plastic binder.

Inventors: ARMS, JOHN TAYLOR, CLARK, WILLIAM DONALD KENNEDY, HALL, DALE EDWARD, SHEPARD, VANCE R., JR.
Applicants: INCO ALLOYS INTERNATIONAL, INC.
Application year: 1983
Main classification: C25B1
IPC codes: C25B11, C25B1