Understanding selective thin films in the chlorate process

Abstract

This chapter provides context and background information for the work in this thesis. First, chlorate is introduced and its applications are described. Then, an overview of the chlorate production process is provided, describing the reactions involved, the conditions in the industrial process, and a history of its development. 1.1.4 History of chlorate production and research Chlorate is one of the oldest electrochemical processes, with the first confirmed electrosynthesis dating back to 1802 [12]. The process was discovered by Wilhelm von Hisinger and Jöns Jakob Berzelius [12], hobbyist scientists, only two years after Alessandro Volta first invented the pile, a source of electrical current [13]. The first electrochemical plant opened in 1886 in Villers-St. Sépulcre, Switzerland, using a diaphragm setup in a reactor made of wood. It was not very successful due to cathodic losses, and production ended in 1898 [12]. Around the same year, plants opened in Buckingham and Niagara in Quebec, Canada. These had no diaphragm and used bipolar electrodes with a small cell gap (1.5 to 3 mm), already remarkably similar to today's designs [14]. At the turn of century there were also factories in Switzerland, Sweden, and France. Surprisingly, there were no factories in Germany, despite most chlorate research being performed there [12]. Research focused on developing an understanding of the formation of chlorate. Initially it was believed that the formation was a purely chemical process, but within a few years this theory was completely upended several times. The revisions were driven by thorough experiments and reportedly accompanied by "sometimes violent discussions" [12]. Several papers and discussions in rude tones were exchanged between Foerster and Wohlwill [15], [16] in particular. Foerster insisted there was no electrochemical aspect to chlorate formation, while Wohlwill, a student of Nernst, held that there was. The matter was eventually clarified in 1900 when Lorenz and Wehrlin published extensive experimental results that showed chlorate could be formed electrochemically under certain circumstances [17], although Foerster nevertheless maintained his stance [12]. Regardless of the exact mechanism, it was generally agreed that hypochlorite plays an important part in chlorate formation, and that its Finally, Chapter 7 summarizes my findings and provides a perspective on the future of this topic.