An Improved Depolarizing Material for Galvanic Elements.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd Feb., 1893-Accepted, 25th Mar., 1893
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Depolarizing Material for Galvanic Elements.
I, FRANZ SZYMANSKI, of No. 8 St. Paulikirchstrasse Posen in the Empire of
Germany, Doctor of Philosophy, do hereby declare the nature of this invention, and
in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement :—
My invention relates to the depolarization of galvanic elements by combining the
electrolytically liberated hydrogen with halogens, and it consists in presenting the
latter to the bydrogen in the form of higher halogen compounds of manganese
which are transformed into a solid mass by mixing them with air-dry and chemically
inactive substances, whereby the said compounds are deprived of the property of
spontaneous decomposition.
The higher halogen compounds of manganese are particularly useful as depolar-
izing agents owing to the fact that they very readily part with their halogen to
hydrogen undor the action of the latter, the halogen being but loosely fixed upon
the manganese.
Of the higher halogen compounds of manganese, manganic chloride of the com-
position Mn,Cl, and manganic fluoride of the composition Mn,Fl, are specially
adapted for the manufacture of the depolarizing material.
Manganic chloride Mu,Cl, is prepared by dissolving hydroxide of manganese in
pure cold hydrochloric acid, and manganic fluoride Mu, Fl, by dissolving hydroxide
of manganese in pure hydrofluoric acid. In either case the substance is obtained in
solution.
Ic manufacturing the depolarizing material according to my invention I mix a
solution of manganic chloride or manganic fluoride with air-dry, chemically
indifferent solid substances, such as cellulose, pulverized graphito, powdered carbon,
pulverized peroxide of manganese or the like, preferably an air-dry mixture of
powdered carbon and peroxide of manganesc. A suitable quantity of these sub-
stances is added to produce a pasty mass of depolarizing material.
The depolarizing material is employed with carbon electrodes either by pressing
it round a carbon electrode of round or angular section, being retained upon the
same by a suitably secured linen wrapping or by placing the said material in a linen
bag or a porous cell and then forcing the carbon electrode, which is for this purpose
suitably pointed at its lower end, into the said material.
The above described depolarizing material is adapted both for wet and for dry
(moist) elements, in the latter case I neo the electrolyte in combination with porous,
electrically indifferent substances, and close the receptacle at the top in a manner
well understood.
When a galvanic element provided with depolarizing material formed of higher
halogen compounds of manganese carbon and peroxide of manganeso is set in
operation, the hydrogen being electrolytically liberated decomposes the manganese
halogen contained in the material forming hydrochloric acid, which in its turn is
decomposed by the peroxide of manganese in the woll-known manner with disengage-
ment of chlorine, the latter again combining to form hydrochloric acid with an
equivalent part of the hydrogen which has been electrolytically liberated.
When the other electrodo consists of zinc I amalgamate the same and preferably
employ as an electrolyte a neutral solution of zinc chloride that is to say a solution
which has itself a neutral reaction or has been neutralized by the addition of zinc
carbonate.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :
A depolarizing material for electric elements consisting of manganic chloride
Mn,Cl, or manganio,,fluoride Mn,Fl, which compounds are mixed with air-dry or t
chemically inactive substances, such as cellulose, carbon graphito peroxide of
manganese and the like, substantially as described.
Dated this 2nd day of February 1893.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.