Improved Means for Producing Chlorine Compounds Suitable for Bleaching Purposes.
Year: 1886

page_text: [Communicated from abroad by EUGENE HERMITE, of Paris, in the Republic of
France, Chemist and Engineer.]
•
Improved Means for Producing Chlorine Compounds Suitable for
Bleaching Purposes.
I JOHN HENRY JOHNSON of 47 Lincolns Inn Fields in the County of Middlesex
Gentleman do hereby declare the nature of this Invention to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to an improved process for obtaining oxygenized Chlorine
compounds suitable for bleaching purposes by the electrolysis-It has been discovered
that when the electrolysis of Chlorides of. Alkaline or earthy Alkaline metals such as
Chloride of Sodium, Potassium, Calcium, Magnesium or Aluminium is effected with
the employment of negative Electrodes consisting of mercury or amalgamated metals
and positive electrodes of Platinum, Carbon or other materials inattackable.or
incorrodible by Chlorine or oxygenised compounds of Chlorine there are obtained on
the one hand amalgams of the metals set free and on the other hand oxygenized
compounds of the Chlorine in solution either free or combined with the Oxides which
the amalgamated metals at the negative pole form by decomposing the water. If the
liquid be decanted immediately after the passage of the current and before the mercury
is completely saturated with the metal solutions are obtained of Oxygen compounds
of Chlorine possessing considerable decolourising of bleaching powder. If on the
contrary after the passage of the current the liquid containing the Oxygen compounds
be allowed to remain in contact with the amalgam: solutions are obtained containing
these Oxygenized compounds in combination with the Oxides of the amalgamated
metals Any suitable arrangement of apparatus may be employed for..carrying out
this process, good results are obtained with apparatus arranged as hereinafter
described.
According to one arrangement a. layer of Mercury is placed in the bottom of a
trough provided with a suitable discharge cock and connected by means of a piece of
iron inimersed in the mercury with the negative pole of the electrical-generator.
A solution of Chloride of Sodium for example is placed upon the mercury and an
electrode of platinum Carbon or other inattackable or incorrodible material immersed
in this liquid is connected with the positive pole.
According to another arrangement positive Electrodes of conducting Carbon are
arranged alternately with negative electrodes of amalgamated Zine for example in the
bottom of the trough containing the solution
+
RADHNSON
J. HENRY JOHNSON,.
47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C.

page_text: Improved Means for Producing Chlorine Compounds Suitable for
Bleaching Purposes.
I, JOHN HENRY JOHNSON of 47 Lincolns Inn Fields in the County of Middlesex
Gentleman do hereby declare the nature of this Invention which has been communicated
to me from Abroad by Eugene Hermite of Paris in the Republic of France Chemist
and Engineer and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
This Invention retates to improved means for obtaining oxygenised Chlorine
compounds suitable for bleaching purposes by the electrolysis of alkaline and earthy
alkaline salts mercury or amalgamated metals being used as negative electrodes as
hereinafter described. In carrying out this Invention the electrolysis or chlorides of
alkaline or earthy alkaline metals such as chloride of sodium potassium calcium
magnesium or aluminium is effected with the employment of negative electrodes
consisting of mercury or amalgamated metals and positive electrodes of platinum
carbon or other materials inattackable or incorrodible by chlorine or oxygenised
compounds of chlorine in such a manner that there are obtained on the one hand
amalgams of the metals set free and on the other hand oxygenised compounds of the
chlorine in solution either free or combined with the oxides which the amalgamated
metals at the negative pole form by decomposing the water-If the liquid be decanted
immediately after the passage of the current and before the mercury is completely
saturated with the metal solutions are obtained of oxygen compounds of chlorine
possessing considerable decolourising or bleaching power-If on the contrary after
the passage of the current the liquid containing the oxygen compounds be allowed to
remain in contact with the amalgam, solutions are obtained containing these oxygenised
compounds in combination with the oxides of the amalgamated metals.
And in Order that the said Invention may be fully understood I shall now proceed
more particularly to describe the same and for that purpose shall refer to the
several figures on the annexed sheet of drawings the same letters of reference
indicating corresponding parts in all the figures.
Any suitable arrangement of apparatus may be employed for carrying out this
process good results are obtained with apparatus arranged as hereinafter described
with reference to figure 1 of the accompanying drawings which represents a vertical.
section of the apparatus.
According to this arrangement a layer of mercury M is placed in the bottom of a
wooden or other suitable trough C provided with a suitable discharge cock R and is
connected by means of a piece of iron or a rod F immersed in the mercury with the
negative pole of the electrical generator. A solution S of chloride of sodium for
example is placed upon the mercury and an electrode l' of platinum carbon or other
inattackable or incorrodible material immersed in this liquid is connected with the
positive pole of the generator.
According to another arrangement illustrated in vertical and horizontal section
respectively in figures 2 and 3, positive electrodes c of conducting carbon are arranged

page_text: alternately with negative electrodes z of amalgamated zinc for example in the bottom
of the trough (containing the solution as aforesaid.
The chlorine compounds are obtained with either of these arrangements of apparatus
by causing a suitable electric current to pass in the apparatus thereby obtaining
amalgams or mercurial compounds which remain in the apparatus and by decomposing
the water form the required oxygenised compounds as herein before explained.
The chlorides of sodium calcium and magnesium are preferably employed on account
of their cheapness They may be employed either pure or mixed.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said Invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I claim is
First. The improved means for producing chlorine compounds suitable for bleaching
purposes by subjecting alkaline and earthy alkaline salts to a process of electrolysis
wherein mercury or a metal amalgamated with mercury is employed as a negative
electrode in combination with positive electrodes of carbon or other incorrodible
material in such a manner as to form chlorine compounds substantially as hereinbefore
described.
Second. In producing chlorine compounds as hereinbefore described and claimed
conducting the process in such a manner as to form an amalgam of the metals in the
solution and thereby obtain chlorine compounds resulting from the decomposing action
of the said amalgam substantially as hereinbefore described.
J. HENRY JOHNSON,
Agent.