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Electrolytic generation of nitrogen

Inactive Publication Date: 2007-05-17
NATASA ENTERPRISES
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  • Summary
  • Abstract
  • Description
  • Claims
  • Application Information

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Benefits of technology

[0012] The present invention also provides a housing for electrochemical gas generating cells. The housing acts to compress a flexible electrochemical cell to help maintain electrochemical contacts in the cell over a prolonged period of operation, during which the compositions within the cell may contract while gas is evolved from the cell. The housings of the invention may be used with a wide variety of gas-generating electrochemical cells, including hydrogen, oxygen and nitrogen generating cells.
[0013] The housings of the invention may also be adapted to enclose a plurality of cells, in which case the cells may be arranged in series to increase the potential drop across the cells. There may be advantages associated with arranging electrochemical gas generating cells in series to increase the potential of the circuit, particularly when the cells are to be used in fluid dispensers. A higher potential difference across the cells allows for the use of a larger (and in some embodiments variable) resistance in the circuit of the electrochemical cell. The larger the resistance, the less sensitive the circuit is to variations in temperature.

Problems solved by technology

Some such compounds may not work in all embodiments, as determined by routine functional testing.

Method used

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  • Electrolytic generation of nitrogen
  • Electrolytic generation of nitrogen
  • Electrolytic generation of nitrogen

Examples

Experimental program
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example 1

[0035] In one embodiment, a nitrogen gas generator is assembled as shown in FIG. 1B, comprising: [0036] (a) a circuit comprising an external energy source 26, such as two 1.5 V alkaline batteries connected in series; a resistor 22, such as a variable resistor from 1 to 100 kOhm; and a switch 24; [0037] (b) an undivided electrochemical cell 20 comprising: [0038] i) electrolyte solution 27, comprising an active nitrogen compound, in one embodiment, methyl hydrazine carboxylate (about 0.1 to 4M), urea (about 0.1 to 1M), ammonium sulphate (about 0.1 to 2M) and water, all absorbed in a cellulose sponge; [0039] ii) anode 21 and cathode 25, which in various embodiments may be graphite fibre impregnated with a polymer such as Nylon™ or polypropylene GRAFOIL, pyrolytic carbon, carbon black, platinum or gold.

[0040] The probable (but unknown) methyl hydrazine carboxylate anode reaction (as in examples 6, 8 and 9) is:

CH3CO2NHNH2→+N2+2H−+2e−

[0041] In such an embodiment, when switch 24 is closed...

example 2

[0042] In another embodiment, a nitrogen generator was assembled according to FIG. 2 and consisted of: [0043] (a) an external electronic circuit comprising switch 24 with a resistor 22, which may be a variable resistor; [0044] (b) an electrochemical cell 23 divided by a cation membrane 29 (such as the sulfonated perfluoroethylene polymer sold under the trademark NAFION 324 by E.I. DuPont & DeNemours Co., Wilmington, Del., U.S.A., or equivalents thereof) with: [0045] i) a catholyte 27 of a solution of sodium bromate in aqueous sulphuric acid; [0046] ii) an anolyte mixture of sodium azide (about 0.1 to 4M), sodium bicarbonate (about 0.1 to 1M), sodium iodide (about 0.1 to 1M) and sodium thiocyanate (about 0.1 to 1M) in water; [0047] iii) electrodes of Nylon™ impregnated graphite fibre and GRAFOIL (such as the product sold under the trade-mark GRAFOIL™ GTB by Union Carbide Corp.).

[0048] The putative reaction at the cathode is:

BrO?+6H?+6e−→Br−+3 H20

[0049] This cell showed open circuit ...

example 3

[0050] In an alternative embodiment, a nitrogen generator was assembled according to FIG. 2 and consisted of: [0051] (a) an external electronic circuit comprising switch 24 with a resistor 22, which may be a variable resistor; [0052] (b) a cathode 25 of graphite in contact with an oxidant 27 consisting of a paste of manganese dioxide in aqueous sulphuric acid (about 1 to 4M); [0053] (c) an anolyte mixture 31 of oxalic dihydrazide (about 0.1 to 3M) in aqueous sulphuric acid (about 0.1 to 1M); [0054] (d) an anode 21 of graphite.

[0055] On open circuit, this cell showed a voltage of 0.8 volt and no gas was generated at either electrode over a period of several days. When the circuit was closed, gas (nitrogen) was generated at the anode. The probable (but unknown) electrode reactions are:

Anode: H2NNHCOCONHNH2→CO22N?+4H−+4e−

Cathode: MnC2−4H−−2e−→Mn?−2H2O

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Abstract

The invention provides methods and devices for the electrochemical generation of nitrogen from organic nitrogen compounds, such as hydrazides (RCONHNH2), the corresponding organic hydrazino-carboxylates (RCO2NHNH2) and amino-guanidine salts (e.g. aminoguanide bicarbonate H2NNHC (NH) NH2H2CO3). A variety of organic hydrazides and hydrazino-carboxylates may be used, and empirically tested for performance. For example, in the hydrazides and hydrazino-carboxylates “R” may be an alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl or aryl group, in some embodiments methyl, ethyl, or benzyl. The alkyl, alkenyl and alkynyl groups may be branched or unbranched, substituted or unsubstituted. The utility of such compounds may be routinely assayed in accordance with the guidance provided herein, including the Examples set out herein in which alternative nitrogen compounds may be substituted for routine test purposes.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION [0001] This application is a continuation of application Ser. No. 09 / 924,404, filed on Aug., 7, 2001, which is a divisional of application Ser. No. 09 / 353,245, filed Jul. 14, 1999 and issued as U.S. Pat. No. 6,299,743 on Oct. 9, 2001.FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0002] The invention is in the field of methods and apparatus for electrochemical generation of nitrogen and hydrogen gases. Particularly generation of nitrogen gas from organic hydrazides (RCONHNH2) and hydrazino-carboxylates (RCOONHNH2), and amino guanidine salts, circuits for spontaneous oxidation of such nitrogen compounds to generate nitrogen gas and mechanical transducers actuated by the nitrogen gas produced, particularly field of fluid dispensers. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0003] The controlled electrolytic generation of gases is useful to convert chemical to mechanical energy in a variety of applications. For example, a variety of lubricant or fluid delivery systems driven by the e...

Claims

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Application Information

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IPC IPC(8): C25B9/02A61M5/142A61M5/145C25B1/00F16N11/10
CPCA61M5/14526A61M2005/14204C25B1/00C25B9/00F16N11/10
Inventor OLOMAN, COLINZHANG, JIUJUNSONG, JIELIN
Owner NATASA ENTERPRISES
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