Douglas J Eames, 5629 Lemay Ave, Lewiston, ME 04240

5622614, Apr 22, 1997

May 1, 1995

8/431605

Kenneth B. Keating - Wilmington DE
James A. Trainham - Newark DE
Clarence G. Law - West Trenton NJ
John S. Newman - Kensington CA
Douglas J. Eames - Chamblee GA

E. I. Du Pont de Nemours and Company - Wilmington DE

C25B 116

205508

The present invention relates to an electrochemical cell and a process for using a halogen halide and splitting a sulfate solution and producing a hydroxide solution, sulfuric acid and a halogen gas. In particular, the sulfate solution may be an alkali metal sulfate solution, such as sodium or potassium sulfate solution, an alkaline earth metal sulfate solution or an ammonium sulfate solution. The cell and the process may use either an anhydrous or an aqueous hydrogen halide, namely, hydrogen chloride, hydrogen fluoride, hydrogen bromide and hydrogen iodide, to a respective dry halogen gas, such as chlorine, fluorine, bromine, or iodine, to produce hydrogen ions in order to split the sulfate solution and form the sulfuric acid. The cell has two membrane-electrode assemblies, where an anode is disposed in contact with one membrane, and a cathode is disposed in contact with another membrane. The sulfate solution is fed in between the membrane-electrode assemblies.

5411641, May 2, 1995

Nov 22, 1993

8/156196

James A. Trainham - Newark DE
Clarence G. Law - West Trenton NJ
John S. Newman - Kensington CA
Kenneth B. Keating - Wilmington DE
Douglas J. Eames - Berkeley CA

E. I. Du Pont de Nemours and Company - Wilmington DE

C25B 124
C25B 900

204 59R

The invention relates to a process for electrochemically converting anhydrous hydrogen halide, such as hydrogen chloride, hydrogen fluoride, hydrogen bromide and hydrogen iodide, to essentially dry halogen gas, such as chlorine, fluorine, bromine and iodine gas, respectively. In a preferred embodiment, the present invention relates to a process for electrochemically converting anhydrous hydrogen chloride to essentially dry chlorine gas. This process allows the production of high-purity chlorine gas. In this process, molecules of essentially anhydrous hydrogen chloride are transported through an inlet of an electrochemical cell. The molecules of the essentially anhydrous hydrogen chloride are oxidized at the anode of the cell to produce essentially dry chlorine gas and protons, which are transported through the membrane of the cell. The transported protons are reduced at the cathode to form either hydrogen gas or water.

5618393, Apr 8, 1997

May 1, 1995

8/431606

Clarence G. Law - West Trenton NJ
James A. Trainham - Newark DE
John S. Newman - Kensington CA
Douglas J. Eames - Chamblee GA

E. I. Du Pont de Nemours Company - Wilmington DE

C25B 900

204252

The invention relates to an electrochemical cell which has an electrode, a membrane disposed in contact with one side of the electrode and a mass flow field disposed on the other side of the electrode for directing fluid to and away from the electrode. The mass flow field comprises glassy carbon. The cell of the present invention is particularly useful in converting anhydrous hydrogen halide, in particular, hydrogen fluoride, directly to essentially dry halogen gas, such as dry fluorine gas. Alternatively, the cell may be used to convert an aqueous reactant.

5580437, Dec 3, 1996

May 20, 1994

8/246909

James A. Trainham - Newark DE
Clarence G. Law - West Trenton NJ
John S. Newman - Kensington CA
Kenneth B. Keating - Wilmington DE
Douglas J. Eames - Berkeley CA

E. I. Du Pont de Nemours and Company - Wilmington DE

C25B 124

205621

A particular anode comprising an electrochemically active material selected from the group consisting of the oxides of the elements tin, germanium and lead and mixtures comprising at least one of the respective oxides of such elements is useful in an electrochemical cell for the direct production of essentially dry halogen gas from essentially anhydrous halogen halide, or in a process for such production of essentially dry halogen gas. This cell or process may be used to produce halogen gas such as chlorine, bromine, fluorine and iodine from a respective anhydrous hydrogen halide, such as hydrogen chloride, hydrogen bromide, hydrogen fluoride and hydrogen iodide.

5798036, Aug 25, 1998

Jun 28, 1996

8/671867

William H. Zimmerman - Wilmington DE
Thomas Frank Saturno - Wilmington DE
John Stanley Artysiewicz - Middletown DE
James Arthur Trainham - Newark DE
Clarence Garlan Law - West Trenton NJ
John Scott Newman - Kensington CA
Douglas John Eames - Chamblee GA

E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company - Wilmington DE

C25B 126

205620

The present invention relates to an electrochemical cell and a process for converting anhydrous hydrogen halide to halogen gas using a membrane-electrode assembly (MEA) or a separate membrane and electrode arrangement, such as gas diffusion electrodes with a membrane.

6042702, Mar 28, 2000

Mar 7, 1997

8/812494

Robert Joseph Kolouch - Vienna WV
David Lee Reichert - Newark DE
Robert Lloyd Freed - West Chester PA
Andrew Kelsey Birchenall - Middletown DE
Clarence Garlan Law - West Trenton NJ
James Arthur Trainham - Newark DE
John Scott Newman - Kensington CA
Douglas John Eames - Chamblee GA

E.I. du Pont de Nemours and Company - Wilmington DE

C25B 900

204252

The invention relates to an electrochemical cell which has an electrode, a membrane disposed in contact with one side of the electrode and a current bus disposed on the other side of the electrode. A current distributor which is disposed between the electrode and the current bus distributes current to the electrode by electronic conduction. The current distributor is made of a non-porous layer of a conductive polymer composite material. The current distributor thus provides a barrier between the current bus and the reactant and the product of the cell. This is especially important in aggressive environments, such as hydrogen chloride. Thus, the cell of the present invention is particularly useful in converting anhydrous hydrogen halide directly to essentially dry halogen gas, such as anhydrous hydrogen chloride to chlorine gas, or in converting aqueous hydrogen chloride to wet chlorine gas.

5976346, Nov 2, 1999

May 22, 1997

8/861558

Francisco Jose Freire - Wilmington DE
Edward Joseph Fahy - Wilmington DE
Dennie Turin Mah - Wilmington DE
Kenneth Bernard Keating - Wilmington DE
Douglas John Eames - Chamblee GA
William H. Zimmerman - Wilmington DE
James Arthur Trainham - Greenville DE
Clarence Garlan Law - West Trenton NJ
John Scott Newman - Kensington CA

E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company - Wilmington DE

C25B 1500

205349

The present invention relates to an electrochemical cell, system and process for converting essentially anhydrous hydrogen halide to essentially dry halogen gas. The process of the present invention is useful for converting anhydrous hydrogen halide, in particular, hydrogen chloride, hydrogen fluoride, hydrogen bromide and hydrogen iodide, to a halogen gas, such as chlorine, fluorine, bromine, or iodine. In particular, in the present invention, water is provided to the cation-transporting membrane at the cathode in various ways. The present invention allows for recovery of a released fluid at the cathode-side of the membrane and recycling of the released fluid back to the cathode side of the membrane. In this way, the recovered, released fluid may be recycled to continuously supply water to the membrane, thereby allowing the limiting current density of the cell to be increased and/or controlled.

5622609, Apr 22, 1997

May 1, 1995

8/432403

David L. Reichert - Newark DE
Charles C. Seastrom - New Castle DE
Vinci M. Felix - Kennett Square PA
Clarence G. Law - West Trenton NJ
James A. Trainham - Newark DE
John S. Newman - Kensington CA
Douglas J. Eames - Chamblee GA

E. I. Du Pont de Nemours and Company - Wilmington DE

C25B 900

204252

The invention relates to an electrochemical cell which has an electrode, which may be either an anode or a cathode, and a membrane disposed in contact with one side of the electrode. An anode current bus is disposed on the other side of the anode, and a cathode current bus is disposed on the other side of the cathode. An anode current distributor collects current from an anode current bus and distributes it to the anode by electronic conduction, and a cathode current distributor collects current from the cathode and distributes it to the cathode bus by electronic conduction. The anode or the cathode current distributor is made of a metal which is treated by either nitriding, boriding or carbiding the metal in order to make the metal oxide growth resistant. Alternatively, the current distributor on the cathode side may be made of a nickel-based alloy. The current distributor thus provides a barrier between the current bus and the electrode, and the anolyte, catholyte and products of the cell.