Sealing Paste for Oxygen Electrodes in Electrolysis Cells
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for installing oxygen-consuming electrodes in electrolysis devices face challenges such as damage from heat treatment, electrical contact resistance issues, short seal life under aggressive conditions, and complex, costly installation processes, leading to inefficiencies and increased energy consumption due to incomplete sealing and reduced electrochemically active areas.
Innovation Solution
A method using a sealing paste composed of silver oxide and a hydrophobic polymer component with a perfluorinated solvent is applied to seal overlapping, kinked, or damaged areas of oxygen-consuming electrodes, ensuring a gas-tight installation and maintaining electrochemical activity while withstanding caustic and oxidative conditions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If heat treatment is used to bond the perfluorocarboxylic acid layer to the OVEs, then the edges are connected and sealed, but the heat treatment can damage the OVE and the process becomes difficult to use
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the bonding mechanism from thermal bonding to chemical bonding using silane-based primers and adhesives. The silane primer forms a chemical bond with the OVE surface through hydrolysis and condensation reactions, eliminating the need for heat treatment that could damage the electrode while providing reliable sealing at the edges.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces silane-based primers as an intermediary substance between the OVE edges and the sealing layer. The primer creates a chemically bonded interface that enhances adhesion without requiring high temperatures, thus protecting the OVE from thermal damage while ensuring reliable edge connection and sealing.
2Reliability
If the abutting edges of two OCEs are connected with a perfluorocarboxylic acid layer, then the edges are bonded, but the OCE does not work in the covered and electrochemically inactive edge and overlapping areas, leading to higher current density and increased energy consumption
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies sealing material only at the very edges of the OVEs where gas-tight sealing is critical, rather than covering large overlapping areas. This localized sealing approach maintains electrochemical activity in the majority of the electrode surface while providing necessary sealing at the boundaries, thus avoiding excessive current density increases and energy consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses partial sealing coverage instead of complete edge coverage, applying sealing material only where absolutely necessary for gas-tightness. This partial action approach ensures adequate sealing performance while minimizing the loss of electrochemically active area and preventing excessive current density concentration.
3Ease of operation
If clamping or press contacts are used to install the SVE, then the installation is simple, but the electrical contact resistance deteriorates during operation, resulting in increased energy consumption
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the mechanical support function with the electrical conduction function by using a single integrated component that provides both structural support and low-resistance electrical contact. This eliminates the need for separate clamping contacts that deteriorate over time, ensuring stable electrical connection and consistent energy efficiency throughout operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs composite materials with both mechanical strength and high electrical conductivity properties to create support structures that provide both structural support and low-resistance electrical contact. This composite approach ensures durable mechanical support while maintaining excellent electrical conductivity, preventing contact resistance deterioration during operation.
4Reliability
If liquid or pasty sealing materials are applied to the uncoated welding zone, then the open-pored structure is sealed, but the service life of the seals is very short due to the aggressive conditions in the electrochemical reaction apparatus
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses composite sealing materials based on silane-modified polymers that combine the sealing effectiveness of liquid/pasty materials with enhanced chemical resistance. The silane modification provides cross-linked molecular structures that resist degradation in aggressive electrochemical environments, significantly extending seal service life while maintaining effective sealing.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the chemical structure parameter of the sealing material by incorporating silane groups that form cross-linked networks. This structural parameter change enhances the material's resistance to aggressive chemicals and high temperatures, extending the service life of the seal from weeks/months to years while maintaining effective sealing performance.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The method provides a durable, gas-tight seal that prevents electrolyte and gas mixing, reduces energy consumption, and minimizes the loss of electrochemically active surface area, enabling efficient and cost-effective operation of electrolysis devices with improved mechanical stability and long-term performance.
Implementation Method 1
The primer layer is formed by chemical bonding to the OVE
Implementation Method 2
The primer layer is formed by chemical bonding to the OVE
Implementation Method 3
sealing paste composed of silver oxide and a hydrophobic polymer component with a perfluorinated solvent
Data Source
AI summary
Gas-tight incorporation of at least one adjacent oxygen consumable electrode in an electrochemical half-cell, comprises sealing a bending regions and/or cracking regions of the oxygen consumable electrodes and/or overlapping areas of the adjacent oxygen consumable electrodes which are formed during the incorporation of the oxygen-consuming electrode on the frame of a gas compartment of a cell, using a paste that is based on at least silver oxide and a hydrophobic polymer component, and a perfluorinated-or partially fluorinated solvent. Independent claims are also included for: (1) electrochemical half-cell comprising oxygen consumable electrodes that are adjacent to each other, where the bending regions and/or cracking regions of the oxygen consumable electrodes and/or overlapping areas of the adjacent oxygen consumable electrodes which are formed during the incorporation of the oxygen-consuming electrode on the frame of the gas compartment of the cell, are sealed using a sealing paste that is based on at least silver oxide and the hydrophobic polymer component, and a fluorinated solvent; and (2) electro-chemical half cell incorporated with an oxygen consumption electrodes, according to the procedure mentioned above.