INFLUENCE OF ION MIGRATION ON CATHODIC REDUCTION OF HYPOCHLORITE ANIONS

Cathodic reduction of hypochlorite anions during electrolysis of dilut e solutions of NaCl can, according to Robertson, be decreased by placi ng an inert separator with sufficiently small pores at the cathode sur face. This causes a strong suppression of convection in the solution l ayer at the cathode. The present work deals with the calculation of th e flux of hypochlorite ions to the cathode for different thicknesses o f the stagnant electrolyte layer at the cathode. The flux of ClO- ions decreases with increasing current density and thickness of the stagna nt layer. The migration effect causes a decrease of the Aux of ClO- io ns to the cathode by up to 50%, relative to their diffusion flux. The theoretical results are in good agreement with published experimental data.