The Dow Chemical Company

Charles E Goldsmith

Keith R Plowman

Thomas A Patterson

A gas diffusion composite electrode is disclosed which is suitable for use in combination with an electrically conductive current collector. The electrode comprises an electrochemically active, porous and heterogeneous layer containing (1) an interconnected, hydrophilic island material comprising a blend of a major amount of an electrically conductive, particulate material, such as carbon black, in combination with an electrochemically active catalyst, and a minor amount of a hydrophobic polymer in combination with (2) a hydrophobic matrix material consisting essentially of a hydrophobic polymer rendered substantially porous by removal of a pore-forming ingredient. Methods of preparing the heterogeneous layer and the composite electrode are also disclosed.

Method of making an electrolyte-permeable, heterogeneous polymer sheet

The invention is an electrode comprising:

Three layer carbon based electrode

Gas diffusion composite electrode having novel hydrophilic layer

A gas diffusion composite electrode useful in an electrochemical cell comprising an electrochemically active layer and a backing layer, said active layer characterized as porous, homogeneous, hydrophilic, and electrolyte-permeable and comprising a sintered mixture of a major amount of an electrically conductive, hydrophilic, particulate material containing admixed therewith an electrochemically active catalyst, and a minor amount of a hydrophobic polymer, said particulate material being substantially coated with said hydrophobic polymer by precipitation of said hydrophobic polymer upon said particulate material.

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Baton Rouge, LA, United States of America

Charles E Goldsmith