Method and Apparatus for Synthesizing Hypochlorous Acid

Abstract

Hypochlorous acid is produced economically without the supply of electricity energy from outside. To actualize the production, a photoelectric cell having a titanium oxide electrode 1 and a counter electrode 2 is placed in an electrolyte solution 3 containing a metal chloride. Under the environment that oxygen can be supplied to the counter electrode 2 of the photoelectric cell in the electrolyte solution 3 , the titanium oxide electrode 1 is irradiated with light.

1 . A hypochlorous acid synthesis method, in which a photoelectric cell having a titanium oxide electrode and a counter electrode is placed in an electrolyte solution containing a metal chloride, and the titanium oxide electrode is irradiated with light while oxygen is supplied to the counter electrode of the photoelectric cell in the electrolyte solution, thereby HClO (hypochlorous acid) or ClO −  (hypochlorite ion) is generated from the titanium oxide electrode. 
     
     
         2 . The hypochlorous acid synthesis method according to  claim 1 , wherein the electrolyte solution is stirred and/or gas is bubbled through the electrolyte solution in order to supply oxygen to the counter electrode of the photoelectric cell. 
     
     
         3 . The hypochlorous acid synthesis method according to  claim 1 , wherein said photoelectric cell has an outside electric power source for impressed current in an outside circuit electrically connecting the titanium oxide electrode and the counter electrode. 
     
     
         4 . The hypochlorous acid synthesis method according to  claim 3 , wherein the titanium oxide electrode of the photoelectric cell is a complex obtained by coating a base of a metal porous body with titanium oxide. 
     
     
         5 . The hypochlorous acid synthesis method according to  claim 4 , wherein the metal porous body is a spherical titanium powder-sintered body. 
     
     
         6 . A hypochlorous acid synthesis apparatus for producing hypochlorous acid (HClO) or a hypochlorite ion (ClO − ) from a metal chloride, comprising:
 a container for storing an electrolyte solution containing the metal chloride, and   a photoelectric cell having a titanium oxide electrode and a counter electrode and immersed in the electrolyte solution in the container under an environment in which the titanium oxide electrode is irradiated with light and oxygen is supplied to the counter electrode.   
     
     
         7 . The hypochlorous acid synthesis apparatus according to  claim 6 , wherein means for supplying oxygen to the counter electrode of the photoelectric cell is stirring of the electrolyte solution and/or gas bubbling through the solution. 
     
     
         8 . The hypochlorous acid synthesis apparatus according to  claim 6 , wherein the photoelectric cell comprises an outside electric power source for impressed current in an outside circuit electrically connecting the titanium oxide electrode and the counter electrode. 
     
     
         9 . The hypochlorous acid synthesis apparatus according to  claim 8 , wherein the titanium oxide electrode for the photoelectric cell is a complex obtained by coating a base of a metal porous body with titanium oxide. 
     
     
         10 . The hypochlorous acid synthesis apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein the metal porous body is a spherical titanium powder-sintered body.