{
  "patent_number": "US 8636880",
  "country": "US",
  "title": "How to Make Hydrogen Gas and Cupric Chloride Using an Electrolysis Cell",
  "original_title": "Electrolysis cell for the conversion of cuprous chloride in hydrochloric acid to cupric chloride and hydrogen gas",
  "summary": "This patent describes an electrochemical cell that uses cuprous chloride in hydrochloric acid to produce hydrogen gas and cupric chloride, separated by a special membrane.",
  "what_it_does": "The patent describes an electrochemical cell designed to produce hydrogen gas and cupric chloride. It has two main sections: an anode compartment and a cathode compartment, separated by a cation exchange membrane (Claim 1). In the anode compartment, an anode sits in a solution called anolyte, which is cuprous chloride dissolved in hydrochloric acid (Claim 1). In the cathode compartment, a cathode with a special electrocatalyst (like platinum, Claim 14) is placed in a catholyte solution, which is just hydrochloric acid (Claim 1). When electricity is applied, the cell converts cuprous chloride into cupric chloride at the anode and produces hydrogen gas at the cathode (Claim 21). For example, this cell could be used to generate hydrogen for fuel while simultaneously regenerating a useful chemical.",
  "what_it_does_not_cover": [
    "Does not cover electrochemical cells that produce hydrogen without also producing cupric chloride from cuprous chloride (Claim 1).",
    "Does not cover cells where the anolyte is not specifically cuprous chloride in hydrochloric acid (Claim 1).",
    "Does not cover cells that use an anion exchange membrane instead of a cation exchange membrane (Claim 1).",
    "Does not cover hydrogen production methods that do not use an electrochemical cell with distinct anode and cathode compartments (Claim 1, 21).",
    "Does not cover cells where the cathode does not include an electrocatalyst (Claim 1)."
  ],
  "filed": "2009-08-26",
  "granted": "2014-01-28",
  "expires": "2029-08-26",
  "status": "active",
  "holder": "Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd AECL",
  "holder_url": "https://patentbrief.org/company/atomic-energy-of-canada-ltd-aecl",
  "inventors": [
    {
      "name": "Lorne Stolberg",
      "url": "https://patentbrief.org/inventor/lorne-stolberg"
    }
  ],
  "times_cited": 3,
  "tags": [
    "energy",
    "chemical_manufacturing",
    "materials",
    "semiconductors"
  ],
  "abstract": "The present invention provides an electrochemical cell for producing hydrogen gas and cupric chloride, comprising an anode compartment including an anode disposed in an anolyte, wherein the anolyte is cuprous chloride in hydrochloric acid, a cathode compartment including a cathode, wherein the cathode comprises an electrocatalyst, and a cation exchange membrane disposed between the anode compartment and the cathode compartment.",
  "url": "https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/8636880/electrolysis-cell-for-the-conversion-of-cuprous-chloride-in-hydrochloric-acid-to",
  "markdown_url": "https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/8636880/electrolysis-cell-for-the-conversion-of-cuprous-chloride-in-hydrochloric-acid-to/md",
  "google_patents_url": "https://patents.google.com/patent/US8636880",
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}