INORGANIC CATION-EXCHANGE MEMBRANE PREPARED FROM ANTIMONY TRIETHOXIDESOL

Cation exchange membrane consisting of hydrous antimony(V) oxide was p repared by the sol-gel method, where the ion exchange material was sup ported on a porous alpha-alumina base. The coating sol was composed of Sb(OC2H5)3, Si(OC2H5)4, 1-C4H9OH and CH3COOH, the optimum composition being 1:5:27:20 in molar ratio. The mixture was transparent and the r esultant film which was deposited on a porous alpha-alumina base was f ound to be homogeneous. The membrane prepared was characterized by X-r ay diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and electron probe microanalyzer (EPMA). Electrochemical properties of the membrane were also examined; electric resistivity, ion exchange capacity, limi ting current density and the static transport number were. 95 approxim ately 105 OMEGA-cm2 in 0.1 mol.dm-3 NaCl solution, 6.6-10(-1) meq.g-1, 15 approximately 18 mA-cm-2 in 0.1 M NaCl solution and 0.81 in 0.1 M NaCl reference solution, respectively.