Electrolytic Production of Chlorate

概要

Electrolysis of hot NaCl solution without a membrane allows chlorine produced at the anode to react with hydroxide from the cathode, forming hypochlorite that disproportionates to chlorate at 70–80°C. Sodium chlorate (NaClO₃) is the precursor to chlorine dioxide (ClO₂), the dominant bleaching agent in modern paper mills.

参加者

日常の例

The white paper in your books and notebooks was bleached using chlorine dioxide derived from electrolytically produced sodium chlorate.

産業上の重要性

塩素酸ナトリウムは年間約360万トン製造され、主にパルプ漂白、除草剤、花火製造に使われる。製造には大量の電力を必要とし、多くの工場では水力発電を利用している。