LOW-COST STABLE COMPOSITE ANODE FOR ELECTRO-ORGANIC PROCESSES

RESEARCHERS ARE DEVELOPING A LOW-COST, EFFICIENT, STABLE COMPOSITE STEEL ANODE STRUCTURE THAT WILL BE ESPECIALLY USEFUL IN SYNTHETIC ELECTRO-ORGANIC PROCESSES WHERE SYSTEM SELECTIVITY IS OF MAJOR CONCERN AND ANODE DISSOLUTION OR DETERIORATION CAN HAVE A DETRIMENTAL EFFECT ON PRODUCT QUALITY AND YIELD. IN THE COMMERCIAL ELECTROHYDRODIMERIZATION (EHD) PROCESS FOR PRODUCTION OF ADIPONITRILE (ADN), CORROSION OF THE PRESENTLY USED MILD STEEL ANODE RESULTS IN PRODUCTION OF UNWANTED SIDE PRODUCTS AND ALSO PROMOTES THE PARASITIC H2 EVOLUTION REACTION AT THE CATHODE, DECREASING PRODUCT YIELD AND INCREASING PROCESS POWER CONSUMPTION. A COMPOSITE ELECTRODE STRUCTURE CONSISTING OF AN IMPERVIOUS AND STABLE NON-NOBLE METAL OXIDE COATING ON THE STEEL IS A VERY STABLE ANODE UNDER EHD PROCESS CONDITIONS AND HAS ENHANCED ELECTROCATALYTIC OXYGEN EVOLUTION ACTIVITY. THIS STRUCTURE SHOULD ALSO BE APPLICABLE TO OTHER ORGANIC PROCESSES IN NEUTRAL TO ALKALINE SOLUTIONS. SELECTION OF MATERIALS AND DEPOSITION PARAMETERS FOR THE SEVERAL LAYERS OF THE COMPOSITE STRUCTURE ARE ADDRESSED IN THE PROGRAM.