Reinforced Electrolyte Membrane with Partial Sacrificial Thread Retention

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Solution Overview

Problem

Reinforced electrolyte membranes used in alkali chloride electrolysis tend to experience mechanical strength deterioration and cracking due to the removal of sacrificial threads in alkaline solutions, leading to breakage during handling and conditioning operations.

Innovation Solution

A reinforced electrolyte membrane design where the sacrificial thread remains in the membrane, with specific cross-sectional area ratios between the thread and voids, ensuring mechanical strength and preventing cracking, and a process where only part of the sacrificial thread is eluted in an alkaline solution to maintain membrane integrity.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the open area ratio of the woven fabric is increased to suppress membrane resistance, then membrane resistance decreases, but misalignment occurs at the opening portion making it difficult to produce and insert the woven fabric

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemembrane resistanceVSAvoidproduction difficulty

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

A sacrificial thread is introduced as an intermediary element during the weaving process. This thread acts as a temporary mediator that enables the creation of high open area ratio patterns by being interlaced with reinforcing threads during weaving, then subsequently removed to create the desired open structure without the alignment problems of traditional high open area designs

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The sacrificial thread is pre-positioned and interlaced with reinforcing threads during the weaving process to create a stable intermediate structure. This preliminary arrangement allows for precise control of thread positioning and open area distribution before the sacrificial thread is removed, solving the misalignment issue

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Reliability

If the sacrificial thread is completely eluted in alkaline solution to remove it, then the membrane resistance is maintained low, but voids are formed and mechanical strength deteriorates causing breakage

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemembrane resistanceVSAvoidmechanical strength

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of completely removing the sacrificial thread, the invention applies partial action by controlling the elution process to remove only a portion of the sacrificial thread. This partial removal maintains sufficient mechanical strength while still achieving low membrane resistance, resolving the contradiction between strength and resistance

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Solution Approach 2:

The invention changes the parameter of sacrificial thread retention by controlling the elution conditions (time, temperature, concentration of alkaline solution) to achieve partial rather than complete removal. This parameter adjustment allows optimization of both mechanical strength and membrane resistance simultaneously

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Strength

If the sacrificial thread remains in the membrane to maintain mechanical strength, then breakage is reduced, but the open area ratio decreases increasing membrane resistance

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemechanical strengthVSAvoidmembrane resistance

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The invention applies partial action by selectively removing portions of the sacrificial thread while retaining other portions. This partial elution strategy creates an optimal balance where enough sacrificial thread remains to maintain mechanical strength, while sufficient portions are removed to maintain low membrane resistance

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

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 solution significantly reduces the likelihood of cracking and breakage during handling and conditioning, while maintaining low membrane resistance and electrolysis voltage, ensuring the membrane's mechanical strength and operational stability.

Implementation Method 1

a reinforced precursor membrane having a precursor membrane containing a fluoropolymer having precursor groups for the ion exchange groups reinforced by a woven fabric, is immersed in an alkaline aqueous solution, whereby the precursor groups are hydrolyzed and converted into the ion exchange groups

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectHydrolysis: Hydrolysis

Data Source

PatentUS9435044B2Reinforced electrolyte membrane and process for producing same

Publication Date: 2016.09.06 AGC INC

AI summary

A reinforced electrolyte membrane having an electrolyte membrane containing a fluoropolymer having ion exchange groups, reinforced by a woven fabric made of a reinforcing thread and a sacrificial thread, where the sacrificial thread remains in the electrolyte membrane, a void is formed between the sacrificial thread and the electrolyte membrane, and 2000 μm2<A<6000 μm2 and 0.3≦B/A<1.0 are satisfied, where A is the total of a cross-sectional area of the sacrificial thread and a cross-sectional area of the void, and B is the cross-sectional area of the sacrificial thread.