FAKULTI KEJURUTERAAN KIMIA Assignment 1 The Fundamentals and Applications of Downs Cell Group members Felicia Unda Anak

Anggat 201 !2"2!2 #adiah $inti %ulkifli 201 ""0&2'

Date of submission before (pm on 1!th #o)ember of 201

1.0 Abstract

Downs cell is a special type of cell that is made from extraction of sodium. The cell is rectangular in shape to be concised it is a rectangular steel container with internal firebricks lining. Furthermore, the cell is made up of a central graphite rod anode surrounded by steel cylinder cathode. The anode and cathode are separated from each other by a cylindrical steel gauze diaphragm so that Na and Cl are kept apart. Then a bell like hood is submerged o!er the anode. Downs process is the named for the process that happen in Downs cell. The process is based on the electrolysis of fused sodium chloride "NaCl#. The Down cell uses a carbon anode and iron cathode. The electrolyte is sodium chloride that has been heated to the li$uid state. %lthough solid sodium chloride is a poor conductor of electricity, when a molten the sodium and chloride ions are mobilized, which become charfe carriers and allow conduction of electric current "&Downs Cell (Meaning Of). N.p., n.d. 'eb. () No!. *(+#. This process is used because of the ad!antages. ,odium metal obtained has a high degree of purity "--../#. Then, the starting material, sodium chloride is !ery cheap and the chlorine is obtained as a useful by0product. Down cell is being used a lot in the industries to produce sodium metal and side products. The calcium does not enter into the reaction because its reduction potential of .1) !olts is higher than that of sodium. 2ence the sodium ions are reduced to metallic form in preference to those of calcium. 3f the electrolyte contained only calcium ion and no sodium, it would be calcium metal produced as the cathode product "which indeed is how metallic calcium is produced#. 4oth the products of the electrolysis, sodium metal and chlorine gas, are less dense than the electrolyte and therefore float to the surface. 5erforated iron baffles are arranged in the cell "see the diagram to the right# to direct the products into separate chambers without their e!er coming into contact with each other. %lthough theory predicts that a potential of a little o!er 6 !olts should be sufficient to cause the reaction to go forward, in practice potentials of up to 1 !olts are used. This is done in order to achie!e useful current densities in the electrolyte despite its inherent electrical resistance. The o!er!oltage and conse$uent resisti!e heating contributes to the heat re$uired to keep the electrolyte in a li$uid state. The Downs process also produces chlorine as a byproduct, although chlorine produced this way accounts for only a small fraction of chlorine produced industrially by other methods "&Downs Cell.&Wikipedia. 'ikimedia Foundation, (* 7uly *(+. 'eb. () No!. *(+#. 2.0 Introduction

&2umphry Da!y.& Homepage of the Chemical Heritage Foundation. N.p., n.d. 'eb. () No!. *(+. The 8nglish chemist ,ir 2umphry Da!y first isolated sodium in (1*) by the electrolysis of molten sodium carbonate "Chemistry and Chemical 9eacti!ity by 7ohn C. :otz, 5aul ;. Treichel and <abriela C. 'ea!er, page (* +#. The element remained a laboratory curiousity untik (16 , when it was found that sodium could be used to reduce aluminium chloride to aluminium metal. 4ecause aluminium was so !aluable, this disco!ery inspired considerable interest in manufacturing sodium. 4y (11=, a practical method of sodium production had been de!ised "the reduction of Na>2 with carbon#. ?nfortunately, for sodium producers, in this same year 2all and 2eroult in!ented the electrolysis method for aluminium production , thereby eliminating this market for sodium. 3n (1*) ,ir 2umphry Da!y "())10(1 -# de!ised an electrolysis apparatus that used electrodes immersed in a bath of melted sodium hydroxide "The 2istory and ?se of >ur 8arth@s Chemical 8lementsA % 9eference <uide by 9obert 8. :rebs, page .(#. 'hen he passed an electric current through the system, metallic sodium formed at the negati!e "cathode# electrode. 2e first performed this experiment with a molten potassium carbonate to liberate the metal potassium, and he sson followed uo with the sodium experiment. Today, sodium and some of the other alkali metals are still produced by electrolysis. The types of electrolytes may be !ary using a mixture of sodium chloride and then further purifying the sodium metal. 3.0 Theory

& downs cell used to separate molten sodium chloride into chlorine gas and sodium metal'

3n this process, molten sodium chloride "commom salt# is electrolyzed using a graphite anode and a ring shaped iron cathode. The two electrodes are separated by a wire gauge partition to a!oid the mixing of sodium and chloride formed. %s sodium chloride melts at a !ery high tempertature of (*1. :, a mixture containing sodium chloride, potassium chloride and potassium fluoride "NaCl B :cl B:F# is employed. This mixture melts at about 1.* to 1). : "&C28;0<?3D8.& : Sodium: Occurrence !"traction from Downs #rocess$ #roperties and %ses. N.p., n.d. 'eb. () No!. *(+. #. The temperature needs to be lowered because it is difficullt to maintain a high temperature of (*1. :. ,odium is !olatile at this temperature and so a part of the metal formed may !aporize. %t this high temperature, chlorine produced as a by product corrodes the !essel. ;etal at this temperature will also be in a colloidal state and its separation will be difficult. >n passing electric current, chlorine is liberated at the carbon anode and escapes through the dome shaped steel hood outlet. ,odium rises froom the cathode and remains in the wire gauze shell. The sodium produced is in molten state. 4eing lighter than the electrolyte it rises to the surface. %s the le!el of molten sodium arises, it is forced into the recei!er. The process is continuous and fresh salt is introduced to maintain the le!el of molten electrolyte high enough to allow sodium to rise into the iron pipe. Chemical reactions in!ol!ed in this process are as followsA

%t anodeA

%t cathodeA

>!erall reactionA

4.0 References

&C28;0<?3D8.& Sodium: Occurrence !"traction from Downs #rocess$ #roperties and %ses. N.p., n.d. 'eb. () No!. *(+. Chemistry and Chemical 9eacti!ity by 7ohn C. :otz, 5aul ;. Treichel and <abriela C. 'ea!er, page (* + &2umphry Da!y.& Homepage of the Chemical Heritage Foundation. N.p., n.d. 'eb. () No!. *(+. The 2istory and ?se of >ur 8arth@s Chemical 8lementsA % 9eference <uide by 9obert 8. :rebs, page .( &Downs Cell ";eaning >f#.&Downs Cell (Meaning Of). N.p., n.d. 'eb. () No!. *(+. &,odium 5roduction by 8lectrowinning.&Sodium #roduction. N.p., n.d. 'eb. () No!. *(+. &Downs Cell.&Wikipedia. 'ikimedia Foundation, (* 7uly *(+. 'eb. () No!. *(+.