Can electrolysis produce chlorine gas?

[Iunno]

I was arguing with this guy about whether or not it could. Any insight on this is appreciated.

 

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[EasyMoney]

Not without using chlorine.

Are you using chlorine in the electrolysis?

And of so, why?

 

[Iunno]

Not without using chlorine.

Are you using chlorine in the electrolysis?

And of so, why?

No im not. The instructions i read on how to do electrolysis said to add salt to the solution. I don't know if this is the correct way to do it but it's what we were arguing about it. He though that since your running a current through the solution, it would break the salt apart. Producing chlorine and sodium. (naci) I, being the argumentative type, immedietly disagreed.

 

[teverly]

Actually i believe it does..ive read somewhere that you shouldbe careful when doing eletrolysis because it produces some kind os gas that could hurt you....
I will have to see if i can find that article...

 

[cosmic]

That is how they produce chlorine gas..

 

[Old Dog]

Chlorine and other gasses can be produced by electrolysis.

a saturated salt (sodium chloride) solution with carbon rods as poles will release the chlorine in an almost uncontainable measure.
But why would anyone put a charge through a brine solution in the first place?
This is a grade school science project.
done in a lab under a hood where it can be done safely without harm to anyone.

explain please.

Thom
OD

 

[shanegalang]

Dont know if it makes any difference but there probably is chlorine in the water to begin with. I use a small homemade rig to clean some coins and there is some "gas" floating up from the water. I worry more about the transformer getting hot and burning up..........and my wife slapping me in the head for ruining her spoons and forks!

 

[Old Dog]

A small trickle charger is very good for electrolysis.
less chance of an accident.

Thom
OD

 

[cosmic]

Only small amounts of chlorine gas is produced from the salt solution during our type of electrolysis.. What the major gases produced are hydrogen and oxygen.... Both flamable..
During electrolysis, hydrogen gas will be seen to bubble up at the cathode - pole( object to be cleaned), and oxygen will bubble at the anode + pole.

 

[robert roy]

Just use a small amount of salt and be liberal with the Leamon juice when you add it.

 

[Charlie P. (NY)]

And just to worry you even more if you use stainless steel as the positive electrode (anode) it will release small amounts of hexavalent chromium, which is nasty stuff if inhaled.

If you're using table salt or chlorinated tap water you will likely have chlorine gas given off.

Don't lean over the solution.

http://users.eastlink.ca/~pspencer/nsaeta/electrolysis.html

 

[Old Dog]

Very good advice Charlie,

The amount of chlorine given off by the process is directly determined by the amount of salt in the water.

Salt --- Sodium Chloride
The process frees the chlorine from the sodium molecules and releases it into the air.

To cause harm you would have to have a large saturated solution in a tightly enclosed place.

A buddy of mine and I actually did this experiment in a lab in 7th grade using a large plastic tub and a saturated solution . they evacuated the school for several hours due to the amount of chlorine in the air. Nobody made any reference to being able to contain the gas.

using electrodes other than carbon rods will release a lot more than just chlorine.

Thom

 

[ivan salis]

good standard rule of thumb -- both toxic and explosive type gases are made by electolysis ---so do it out of doors in a well vented area & keep any type of fire away -- or else you might not live long enough to regret it --knowledge get it the easy way --- Ivan

 

[Old Dog]

Great advice Ivan!

Thom

 

[thepoolguy]

of course it does...it is the preferred method of sanitation in pools these days. unit has titanium plates in it with an electric charge and as the salt that has been added to the pool passes by it is converted into a chlorine gas. google "salt chlorine generators"