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Mass transfer in electrochemical reactors employing gas evolving mercury pool cathodes
Author(s) -
Sedahmed G. H.,
Ahmed A. M.
Publication year - 1989
Publication title -
the canadian journal of chemical engineering
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.404
H-Index - 67
eISSN - 1939-019X
pISSN - 0008-4034
DOI - 10.1002/cjce.5450670612
Subject(s) - cathode , mass transfer , potassium ferricyanide , electrochemistry , mass transfer coefficient , mercury (programming language) , chemistry , analytical chemistry (journal) , pulmonary surfactant , ferricyanide , electrode , inorganic chemistry , chromatography , biochemistry , computer science , programming language
The effect of H 2 evolution on the mass transfer coefficient of the cathodic reduction of potassium ferricyanide at a mercury cathode was studied with the aim of (i) comparing the mass transfer behaviour of a Hg cathode with that of solid electrodes under gas evolving conditions, and (ii) testing the effect of surface active agents on the mass transfer behaviour of a H 2 ‐evolving Hg cathode. For a given H 2 discharge rate the mass transfer coefficient at a mercury cathode was much higher than the value at a solid cathode. The mass transfer coefficient at the H 2 ‐evolving Hg cathode was found to decrease in the presence of Triton X‐100 surfactant by an amount ranging from 62.6% to 86.2% depending on H 2 discharge rate and surfactant concentration. A simple mathematical model was formulated to explain the results. The presence of surfactant was found to increase the cell voltage.