Air Products and Chemicals, Inc.

Versum Materials Us, LLC

Christopher L Hartz

Reinaldo Mario Machado

George L Ryals

James E Hollen

Rebecca J Mohr

Athanasios Georgios Tsirukis

James Robert Leenhouts

William F Schulze

This invention is an apparatus and a method for continuously generating a hydride gas of Mwhich is substantially free of oxygen in a divided electrochemical cell. An impermeable partition or a combination of an impermeable partition and a porous diaphragm can be used to divide the electrochemical cell. The divided electrochemical cell has an anode chamber and a cathode chamber, wherein the cathode chamber has a cathode comprising M, the anode chamber has an anode comprising Mand is capable of generating oxygen, an aqueous electrolyte solution comprising a hydroxide MOH partially filling the divided electrochemical cell. Hydride gas generated in the cathode chamber and oxygen generated in the anode chamber are removed through independent outlets. Mcan be selenium, phosphorous, silicon, metal or metal alloy, Mis metal or metal alloy suitable for anionic oxygen generation, and Mis NHor an alkali or alkaline earth metal.

Divided electrochemical cell and low cost high purity hydride gas production process

A method for generating hydride gas of metal Min electrochemical cell comprising cathode comprising metal M, sacrificial anode comprising metal M, an initial concentration of aqueous electrolyte solution comprising metal hydroxide MOH, wherein the sacrificial metal anode electrochemically oxidizes in the presence of the aqueous electrolyte solution to form metal salt, and hydride gas of metal Mis formed by reducing the metal Mof the cathode. The method also comprises steps of determining solubility profile curves of metal salt as MOH is consumed and metal oxide is formed by oxidation reaction at various concentrations of MOH; determining the maximum concentration of MOH that does not yield a concentration of metal salt that precipitates out of the electrolyte solution; and choosing a concentration of MOH that is in the range of at and within 5% less than the maximum concentration of MOH to be the initial concentration of MOH.

Method and apparatus for achieving maximum yield in the electrolytic preparation of group IV and V hydrides

A method for generating a hydride gas of metal Min an electrochemical cell comprising a cathode comprising metal M, a sacrificial anode comprising metal M, an initial concentration of aqueous electrolyte solution comprising a metal hydroxide, MOH, wherein the sacrificial metal anode electrochemically oxidizes in the presence of the aqueous electrolyte solution comprising MOH to form a metal salt, and the hydride gas of metal Mis formed by reducing the metal Mof the cathode. The method comprises the steps of determining solubility profile curves of the metal salt as the MOH is consumed and the metal oxide is formed by the oxidation reaction at various concentrations of MOH; determining a maximum concentration of MOH that, as it is consumed, does not yield a concentration of metal salt that precipitates out of the electrolyte solution; and choosing a concentration of MOH that is in the range of at and within 5% less than the maximum concentration of MOH to be the initial concentration of MOH.

Growing community of inventors

Slatington, PA, United States of America

Christopher L Hartz