Oxidizing device with increased oxidizing performance and method of manufacturing the same

Abstract

An oxidizing device and an oxidizing method for oxidizing a carbon-containing component in a gaseous mixture containing H 2 O and the carbon-containing component are disclosed having a proton conductive body and an electrode member placed on the proton conductive body. The electrode member has an anode electrode and a cathode electrode held in contact with each other and the proton conductive body has electric conductivity of 0.01 Scm −1 or more at a temperature of 400° C. or less. The anode electrode separates a proton (H + ) from H 2 O at a boundary portion between the anode electrode and the proton conductive body to facilitate a reaction to introduce the proton into the proton conductive body. The cathode electrode facilitates a reduction reaction in the presence of the proton supplied from the proton conductive body at a boundary portion between the cathode electrode and the proton conductive body.

1 . An oxidizing device for oxidizing a carbon-containing component in a gaseous mixture containing H 2 O and the carbon-containing component, the oxidizing device comprising:
 a proton conductive body; and   an electrode member placed on the proton conductive body;   the electrode member having an anode electrode portion and a cathode electrode portion held in contact with each other;   the proton conductive body having an electric conductivity of 0.01 Scm −1  or more at a temperature of 400° C. or less;   the anode electrode portion separating a proton (H + ) from H 2 O at a boundary portion between the anode electrode portion and the proton conductive body to facilitate a reaction to introduce the proton into the proton conductive body; and   the cathode electrode portion facilitating a reduction reaction in the presence of the proton supplied from the proton conductive body at a boundary portion between the cathode electrode portion and the proton conductive body.   
   
   
       2 . The oxidizing device according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the proton conductive body is composed of an inorganic phosphate compound expressed by MP 2 O 7  where M represents tetravalent metal.   
   
   
       3 . The oxidizing device according to  claim 2 , wherein:
 the inorganic phosphate compound has an M-site to which a dopant is added.   
   
   
       4 . The oxidizing device according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the proton conductive body is made of a material selected from an inorganic phosphate compound, BaCe 0.85 Y 0.15 O 3-α , and Nafion high-polymer film.   
   
   
       5 . The oxidizing device according to  claim 4 , wherein:
 the inorganic phosphate compound includes at least one of SnP 2 O 7 , and TiP 2 O 7 .   
   
   
       6 . The oxidizing device according to  claim 3 , wherein:
 the inorganic phosphate compound having the M-site to which the dopant is added includes Sn 1-x In x P 2 O 7 , Sn 1-x Al x P 2 O 7 , Ti 1-x In x P 2 O 7 , and Ti 1-x Al x P 2 O 7 .   
   
   
       7 . The oxidizing device according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the anode electrode portion is made of a metallic material selected from the group consisting of Pt, Ag, Cu, Fe, Cr, Ir, Ni, Co, Au, W and Mo or a metallic alloy material.   
   
   
       8 . The oxidizing device according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the cathode electrode portion is made of a metallic material selected from the group consisting of Pt, Ag, Cu, Fe, Cr, Ir, Ni, Co, Au, W and Mo or a metallic alloy material.   
   
   
       9 . A method of oxidizing a carbon-containing component in a gaseous mixture containing H 2 O and the carbon-containing component, the method comprising:
 preparing a proton conductive body having an electric conductivity of 0.01 Scm −1  or more at a temperature of 400° C. or less;   preparing an electrode member having an anode electrode portion and a cathode electrode portion held in contact with each other;   mixing the proton conductive body and the electrode member to locate the electrode member on the proton conductive body such that the anode electrode portion and the cathode electrode portion are held in contact with the proton conductive body;   contacting H 2 O with the anode electrode portion at a boundary portion between the anode electrode portion and the proton conductive body for separating a proton (H + ) from H 2 O to introduce the proton into the proton conductive body through which the proton moves; and   causing a reduction reaction to occur on the cathode electrode portion at a boundary portion between the cathode electrode portion and the proton conductive body in the presence of the proton supplied from the proton conductive body.