Device for manufacturing organic hydride

Abstract

The device for electrochemically manufacturing an organic hydride of the present invention is characterized by the electrode structure thereof being a structure that forms a matrix in which a metal-catalyst supporting carbon or a metal catalyst is suitably intermingled with a proton-conductive solid polymer electrolyte as catalyst layers, and the catalyst layers are formed on the front and back of a proton-conductive solid polymer electrolyte membrane on which a layer that blocks water from passing through is formed. When water or water vapor is supplied to the anode side of this electrode and a substance to be hydrogenated is supplied to the cathode side, application of a voltage between the anode and the cathode causes an electrolysis reaction to the water to occur at the anode and a hydrogenation reaction to the substance to be hydrogenated to occur at the cathode, producing the organic hydride.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A device for manufacturing an organic hydride comprising:
 a membrane electrode assembly including a cathode catalyst layer that reduces a substance to be hydrogenated, an anode catalyst layer that oxidizes water, and a proton-conductive solid polymer electrolyte membrane disposed between the cathode catalyst layer and the anode catalyst layer;   a member that supplies the substance to be hydrogenated to the cathode catalyst layer; and   a member that supplies water or water vapor to the anode catalyst layer;   wherein a layer that blocks water is formed on a surface or inside of the solid polymer electrolyte membrane.   
     
     
         2 . The device for manufacturing an organic hydride according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the layer that blocks water includes palladium or a palladium alloy.   
     
     
         3 . The device for manufacturing an organic hydride according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the layer that blocks water includes an organic polymer having an amount of ion exchange of 0.75 meq/g or less per dry weight.   
     
     
         4 . The device for manufacturing an organic hydride according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the cathode catalyst layer includes a catalytic metal and a supporter that supports the catalytic metal, and   wherein the anode catalyst layer includes only a catalytic metal or includes a catalytic metal and a non-carbon supporter that supports the catalytic metal.   
     
     
         5 . The device for manufacturing an organic hydride according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the substance to be hydrogenated is selected from the group consisting of benzene, toluene, xylene, mesitylene, naphthalene, methylnaphthalene, and anthracene.   
     
     
         6 . The device for manufacturing an organic hydride according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the cathode catalyst layer includes a catalytic metal and a supporter that supports the catalytic metal, and   wherein the catalytic metal includes platinum, ruthenium, rhodium, palladium, iridium, molybdenum, rhenium, tungsten, and an alloy including at least one of these metals.   
     
     
         7 . A device for manufacturing an organic hydride comprising:
 a membrane electrode assembly including a cathode catalyst layer that reduces a substance to be hydrogenated, an anode catalyst layer that oxidizes water, and a proton-conductive solid polymer electrolyte membrane disposed between the cathode catalyst layer and the anode catalyst layer;   gas diffusion layers disposed on a surface of the cathode catalyst layer and a surface of the anode catalyst layer; and   separators, each of which is disposed on a surface of each of the gas diffusion layers and includes a channel formed on a surface of the separator that contacts the gas diffusion layer;   wherein a layer that blocks water is formed on a surface or inside of the solid polymer electrolyte membrane.   
     
     
         8 . The device for manufacturing an organic hydride according to  claim 7 ,
 wherein the layer that blocks water includes palladium or a palladium alloy.   
     
     
         9 . The device for manufacturing an organic hydride according to  claim 7 ,
 wherein the layer that blocks water includes an organic polymer having an amount of ion exchange of 0.75 meq/g or less per dry weight.   
     
     
         10 . The device for manufacturing an organic hydride according to  claim 7 ,
 wherein the substance to be hydrogenated is supplied into the channel of the separator at the cathode catalyst layer side, and   wherein water or water vapor is supplied into the channel of the separator at the anode catalyst layer side.   
     
     
         11 . The device for manufacturing an organic hydride according to  claim 7 , wherein the substance to be hydrogenated is selected from the group consisting of benzene, toluene, xylene, mesitylene, naphthalene, methylnaphthalene, and anthracene. 
     
     
         12 . The device for manufacturing an organic hydride according to  claim 7 ,
 wherein the cathode catalyst layer includes a catalytic metal and a supporter that supports the catalytic metal, and   wherein the catalytic metal includes platinum, ruthenium, rhodium, palladium, iridium, molybdenum, rhenium, tungsten, and an alloy including at least one of these metals.