Cost-effective electrocatalysts for the production of chlorine

Harvard University Office of Technology Development
posted on 07/13/2011

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MARKETS ADDRESSED:
This technology is specifically applicable for fabricating cost-effective catalytic electrode coatings for the chlor-alkali industry. Such coatings, essential to the production of chlorine, generally contain high precious metal contents. The most widely used electrocatalysts contain a large percent of ruthenium. Ruthenium is an expensive rare metal costing in the range of $12,000/kg. A team of Harvard researchers led by Michael Aziz have developed a new electrocatalyst coating with a significantly lower ruthenium content than previously used with equivalent and better performance.

INNOVATIONS & ADVANTAGES:
This is a complex alloy oxide for use as an electrode coating. Electrodes in the chlor-alkali industry currently used are coated with 30 atomic percent (expensive) ruthenium. The coating offered here uses 1/3 to 1/10 that amount of ruthenium, instead using (inexpensive) cobalt or manganese. In addition to a materials cost saving, catalytic activity has been observed to be up to 20 percent superior to that of conventional ruthenium oxide coatings for chloride oxidation and reduction reactions. The alloy oxide offered here also exhibits excellent stability in acidic electrolytes and halogen environments.