AN ELECTROCHEMICAL CELL, A POROUS WORKING ELECTRODE AND A PROCESS FOR THE CONVERSION OF A SPECIES FROM ONE OXIDATION STATE TO ANOTHER BY THE ELECTROCHEMICAL OXIDATION OR REDUCTION THEREOF

摘要

Disclosed is an electrochemical cell for reducing a reducible species from an oxidised state to a reduced state. The cell comprises a porous working electrode disposable in a reduction compartment adapted to contain an electrolyte and a gas, for reducing the reducible species to the reduced state. The porous working electrode is electrically conducting and has a surface exposed to the reducible species in the reduction compartment. A counter electrode is disposed in an oxidation compartment adapted to contain an electrolyte which contains in solution ions that may be oxidised in the presence of the counter electrode from a reduced state to an oxidised state. The cell also comprises means for controlling gas pressure in the reduction compartment at a level sufficient to permit a film of the electrolyte to be formed on the surface of the porous working electrode but insufficient to cause gas to pass through the porous working electrode and into the oxidation compartment.