PROCESS FOR CONDITIONING A POROUS GAS FUSION ELECTRODE; POROUS ELECTRODE HYDROGEN CONSUMER; HYDROGEN-METAL BATTERY; METAL EXTRACTION PROCESS BY ELECTRICITY; PROCESS TO PRODUCE CAUSTIC BY THE ELECTROLYSIS OF A SODIUM SALT

摘要

A porous gas-diffusion electrode having a ruthenium electrocatalyst is conditioned for operation as a hydrogen consuming anode by connecting the electrode as a cathode in a suitable electrolyte until it drops below the reversible hydrogen potential and evolves hydrogen. Preferably, the electrode is contacted with a hydrogen atmosphere prior to or at the beginning of hydrogen evolution, and conditioning may be carried out in situ in a cell in which the electrode is to operate as hydrogen consuming anode.