Alkaline water electrolysis diaphragm, method of manufacturing same, and alkaline water electrolyzer

Abstract

An alkaline water electrolysis diaphragm includes: a polymer porous layer containing at least one polymer compound selected from polyether sulfone having a contact angle of 20 to 90° and polysulfone having the contact angle of 20 to 90°; and an organic fiber fabric layer coupled to the polymer porous layer. The polyether sulfone having the contact angle of 20 to 90° is at least one polymer compound selected from the group made of polyether sulfone, hydrophilic polyether sulfone, cationic polyether sulfone, and cationic hydrophilic polyether sulfone. The polysulfone having the contact angle of 20 to 90° is at least one polymer compound selected from the group made of polysulfone, hydrophilic polysulfone, cationic polysulfone, and cationic hydrophilic polysulfone.

1 . A alkaline water electrolysis diaphragm comprising:
 a polymer porous layer containing at least one polymer compound selected from polyether sulfone having a contact angle of 20 to 90° and polysulfone having the contact angle of 20 to 90°; and   an organic fiber fabric layer coupled to the polymer porous layer.   
     
     
         2 . The alkaline water electrolysis diaphragm according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the polyether sulfone having the contact angle of 20 to 90° is at least one polymer compound selected from the group consisting of polyether sulfone, hydrophilic polyether sulfone, cationic polyether sulfone, and cationic hydrophilic polyether sulfone.   
     
     
         3 . The alkaline water electrolysis diaphragm according to  claim 1 , wherein the polysulfone having the contact angle of 20 to 90° is at least one polymer compound selected from the group consisting of polysulfone, hydrophilic polysulfone, cationic polysulfone, and cationic hydrophilic polysulfone. 
     
     
         4 . The alkaline water electrolysis diaphragm according to  claim 1 , wherein each of the polyether sulfone having the contact angle of 20 to 90° and the polysulfone having the contact angle of 20 to 90° has a hydrophilic functional group or a hydrophilic graft chain at a rate of 1 to 100% per polymer repeating unit. 
     
     
         5 . The alkaline water electrolysis diaphragm according to  claim 1 , wherein each of the polyether sulfone having the contact angle of 20 to 90° and the polysulfone having the contact angle of 20 to 90° has a cationic functional group at a rate of 1 to 100% per polymer repeating unit. 
     
     
         6 . The alkaline water electrolysis diaphragm according to  claim 1 , wherein the organic fiber fabric layer is made of organic fiber non-woven fabric having a density of 0.1 to 0.7 g/cm 3 . 
     
     
         7 . An alkaline water electrolyzer comprising:
 an electrolysis tank including an anode chamber and a cathode chamber that are defined by the alkaline water electrolysis diaphragm according to  claim 1 :   an anode provided in the anode chamber;   a cathode provided in the cathode chamber; and   an elastic body having an electrical conductivity and configured to press the cathode toward the alkaline water electrolysis diaphragm such that the anode, the alkaline water electrolysis diaphragm, and the cathode tightly contact one another.   
     
     
         8 . A method of manufacturing an alkaline water electrolysis diaphragm,
 the method comprising:   adding at least one polymer compound selected from polyether sulfone having a contact angle of 20 to 90° and polysulfone having the contact angle of 20 to 90° to an organic solvent at a concentration of 12.5 to 30 wt. % to obtain a membrane forming solution;   applying the membrane forming solution to organic fiber fabric; and   performing phase separation of the membrane forming solution.   
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 8 , wherein the polyether sulfone having the contact angle of 20 to 90° is at least one polymer compound selected from the group consisting of polyether sulfone, hydrophilic polyether sulfone, cationic polyether sulfone, and cationic hydrophilic polyether sulfone. 
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 8 , wherein the polysulfone having the contact angle of 20 to 90° is at least one polymer compound selected from the group consisting of polysulfone, hydrophilic polysulfone, cationic polysulfone, and cationic hydrophilic polysulfone. 
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 8 , wherein each of the polyether sulfone having the contact angle of 20 to 90° and the polysulfone having the contact angle of 20 to 90° has a hydrophilic functional group or a hydrophilic graft chain at a rate of 1 to 100% per polymer repeating unit. 
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 8 , wherein each of the polyether sulfone having the contact angle of 20 to 90° and the polysulfone having the contact angle of 20 to 90° has a cationic functional group at a rate of 1 to 100% per polymer repeating unit. 
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 8 , wherein the organic fiber fabric is organic fiber non-woven fabric having a density of 0.1 to 0.7 g/cm 3 . 
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 8 , wherein the organic solvent is selected from the group consisting of dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP), dimethylformamide (DMF), dimethylacetamide (DMAc), and a mixture of these.