Chloralkali Process - Laboratory Procedure

Laboratory Procedure

Electrolysis can be done with two beakers, one containing a brine and one containing pure water. A salt bridge can be made of a length of bent hose (a metal pipe should not be used) to connect the two beakers. Plug the ends with tissue or cloth. Put the negative electrode in the solution that you want to produce sodium hydroxide and hydrogen with. Put a positive electrode made from a carbon rod (or a pencil lead) into the solution that you want to produce the chlorine gas (metal electrodes such as copper used here will produce little gas, but instead will fall apart into green copper chloride). Connect the negative electrode to the negative terminal of a 12 volt power supply.