Electrolysis device

Abstract

An electrolysis device in an embodiment includes an electrolysis cell including: a cathode chamber in which a reduction electrode is arranged and to which a gaseous substance to be reduced is supplied; an anode chamber in which an oxidation electrode is arranged and to which a substance to be oxidized in a liquid state or in a state of vaporized liquid is supplied; and a diaphragm provided between the cathode chamber and the anode chamber. At least one of the reduction electrode and the diaphragm includes a composite containing at least an inorganic oxide fine particle and an organic polymer material which binds the inorganic oxide fine particle.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An electrolysis device comprising an electrolysis cell, the electrolysis cell comprising: a cathode chamber in which a reduction electrode is arranged and to which a gaseous substance to be reduced is supplied; an anode chamber in which an oxidation electrode is arranged and to which a substance to be oxidized in a liquid state or in a state of vaporized liquid is supplied; and a diaphragm provided between the cathode chamber and the anode chamber, wherein
 at least one of the reduction electrode and the diaphragm includes a composite containing at least an inorganic oxide fine particle and an organic polymer material which binds the inorganic oxide fine particle.   
     
     
         2 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the inorganic oxide fine particle includes at least one selected from the group consisting of magnesium oxide, silicon oxide, aluminum oxide, titanium oxide, zirconium oxide, vanadium oxide, molybdenum oxide, tungsten oxide, tin oxide, zinc oxide, aluminum silicate, and a layered silicate mineral.   
     
     
         3 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the organic polymer material includes at least one selected from the group consisting of perfluoroalkoxyalkane, perfluoroethylene propene copolymer, polytetrafluoroethylene, ethylene-tetrafluoroethylene copolymer, polyvinylidene fluoride, polychlorotrifluoroethylene, ethylene-chlorotrifluoroethylene copolymer, polystyrene, polyvinyl butyral, poly(4-vinylpyridine), and an ion-exchange resin.   
     
     
         4 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the composite included in the reduction electrode further contains a reduction catalyst which reduces the substance to be reduced and a porous carbon material which supports the reduction catalyst, and the porous carbon material which supports the reduction catalyst is bound together with the inorganic oxide fine particle by the organic polymer material.   
     
     
         5 . The device according to  claim 4 , wherein
 a ratio of a mass of the organic polymer material in the composite to a total of a mass of the porous carbon material which supports the reduction catalyst and a mass of the inorganic oxide fine particle is in a range of 0.3 or more and 4.0 or less, and a ratio of the mass of the porous carbon material which supports the reduction catalyst to the mass of the inorganic oxide fine particle is in a range of 1.0 or more and 10.0 or less.   
     
     
         6 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein
 a mass of the organic polymer material in the composite included in the diaphragm to a mass of the inorganic oxide fine particle is in a range of 0.1 or more and 0.7 or less.   
     
     
         7 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein
 a thickness of the diaphragm is 10 μm or more and 500 μm or less.   
     
     
         8 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the electrolysis device is a nitrogen electrolysis device configured to reduce nitrogen to manufacture ammonia; and   the reduction electrode contains a molybdenum complex as a reduction catalyst.   
     
     
         9 . The device according to  claim 8 , further comprising:
 a nitrogen supply unit including a nitrogen supplier configured to introduce gaseous nitrogen into the cathode chamber;   an ammonia collection unit including an ammonia collector configured to collect ammonia contained in a discharged product from the cathode chamber; and   an ammonia separation unit including an ammonia separator configured to separate ammonia from the electrolytic solution discharged from the anode chamber.   
     
     
         10 . The device according to  claim 9 , further comprising
 an electrolytic solution circulation unit including a circulation pipe configured to circulate the electrolytic solution accommodated in the anode chamber outside the anode chamber, and an electrolytic solution storage tank arranged in the circulation pipe and configured to store the electrolytic solution.