Patent ID: 7803259

Claim:
An electrochemical cell for electrolysis of an aqueous solution of hydrogen chloride comprising: a) an anode half-cell comprising an anode, b) a cathode half-cell comprising a gas diffusion electrode as the cathode, and c) an ion exchange membrane comprising a perfluorosulfonic acid polymer which is positioned between a) and b) wherein the gas diffusion electrode has a surface having a geometric area, and wherein the ion exchange membrane has a surface having a geometric area, the surface of the ion exchange membrane comprising a layer of the perfluorosulfonic acid polymer with a support member embedded therein, and wherein the surface of the gas diffusion electrode and the surface of the ion exchange membrane are adjacent to each other and, at a pressure of 250 g/cm 2 and a temperature of 60° C., the gas diffusion electrode and the ion exchange membrane have a contact area of at least 50% of their geometric area.