6.1.

describe the chemical processes involved in the electrolysis of brine using a

6.2. discuss the economic advantages of chlorine production by the diaphagm cell method. 6.3. discuss the industrial importance of the halogens and their compounds. 6.4. assess the impact of the chlor-alkali industry on the environment.

diaphagm cell.

THE DIAPHRAGM CELL

In the diaphragm cell chlorine is manufactured by electrolysing concentrated sodium chloride solution; chlorine, sodium hydroxide and hydrogen are produced simultaneously. At the anode: Chlorine gas is liberated At the cathode: hydrogen gas is produced Sodium hydroxide is leaving in the solution.

At the anode The negative ions, chloride and hydroxide, get attracted towards the positively charged anode. More chloride ions arriving at the anode than hydroxide ions. The major reaction at the anode is therefore:

At the cathode Sodium ions and hydrogen ions (from the water) are attracted to the negative cathode. It is much easier for a hydrogen ion to pick up an electron than for a sodium ion. So this reaction happens:

The diaphragm is used to separate the chlorine liberated at the anode from the hydrogen and sodium hydroxide produce at the cathode chamber. Without the diaphragm to isolate them, the hydrogen and chlorine would ignite spontaneously and the sodium hydroxide and chlorine react forming sodium hypochlorite. This mixture is commonly sold as bleach. 2NaOH(aq) + Cl2(g) NaOCl(aq) + NaCl(aq)

The mercury cell

The membrane cell

The membrane is made from a polymer which only allows positive ions to pass through it. That means that the only the sodium ions from the sodium chloride solution can pass through the membrane and not the chloride ions.

DIAGRAMS CELLS

Advantage operating at a lower voltage then mercury cells and with less pure brine than required by membrane and mercury cells. produce chlorine gas with nearly no oxygen. the capital cost is relatively less expensive than the mercury cell. Disadvantages: The sodium hydroxide produce may need to be evaporated to increase concentration and it gives rise to environmental releases of asbestos.

USES OF CHLORINE Chlorine is used (generally a particular compound of chlorine) to kill bacteria in drinking water and swimming pools. It is also used in disinfectants and bleach for the same reason. Chlorine is very effect against e coli bacteria. Chlorine is used to make plastics. PVC (polyvinyl chloride) is made from chlorine. PVC is used to make clothing, flooring, electrical cables, flexible hoses and tubing's, figurines (statues), waterbeds and inflatable structures. Also, PVC is now being used to make ceiling tiles. Chlorine is used in bromine extraction. Methyl chloride, another important compound of chlorine, is used as an anaesthetic. It is also used to make certain silicone polymers and is used to extract greases, oils and resins. Chloroform, which contains chlorine, is used as a common solvent in science laboratories. It is also used to kill maggots in an animals wounds. Trichloroethylene is used to degrease metal parts.

INDUSTRIAL IMPORTANCE OF THE HALOGENS AND THEIR COMPOUNDS FLUORINE has many uses such as making refrigerants, detergents etc. Fluorine is used mainly for producing uranium form hexafluoride and it is also used for making other fluorine compounds. Fluorine was used to produce CFC's and these CFC's were used in aerosol sprays, cleaning agents and polymers. However it was found that these compounds can cause ozone layer depletion and so were banned. The most common of fluoride is in toothpaste. The most important use of CHLORINE is as bleach for manufacturing paper and cloth. The most common use of chlorine is in drinking water and swimming pool as it can kill harmful bacteria. Further uses of chlorine include production of everyday products such insecticides, solvents, food paints, plastic, dyes, textiles, petroleum products, paper products etc.

INDUSTRIAL IMPORTANCE OF THE HALOGENS AND THEIR COMPOUNDS BROMINE has an affinity to hydrogen, which makes it a good decomposer. Bromine is also used to disinfect water as it can kill the bacteria present in the water. The inorganic form of bromine is used in photography film, bromine is also used in fumigants, flame proofing agents, dyes and medicines. IODINE is a very important element and has a lot of uses. The compounds are basically used in medicine, photography and dyes. Another very important use of iodine is as it is quite radio opaque, it can be used as X-ray radio contrast agent, for intravenous injection. ASTATINE is not found in nature at all! It is produced by bombarding bismuth with alpha particles. The uses of astatine are not yet discovered but it is similar to iodine properties.

IMPACT OF THE CHLOR-ALKALI INDUSTRY ON THE ENVIRONMENT.

Mercury emissions Between 1930 and 1960, several tons of mercury waste was dumped in Japan. Thousands of people living around the bay developed methylmercury poisoning through the consumption of contaminated fish. The victims suffered from severe neurological damage. All told, thousands were afflicted and more than 900 died. Since then, there was a significant move away from mercury-cell technology to diaphragm and ion-exchange-membrane-cell operations and currently only 35% of the world capacity (mostly in western and center Europe and about 10% of U.S. production) of chlorine is produced using the mercury-cell process. There will be no new construction of mercury-cell plants.

CHEMISTRY FOR CAPE PAGE 440- 444 QUESTIONS 1-3. PAGE 445