Migration of Counter Anions through the Membrane in Synthesis of Tetramethylammonium Hydroxide Solution

Abstract

The migration of the counter anipns of tetramethylammonium salts such as chloride, formate, sulfate, and hydrogencarbonate ions through the membrane to the catholyte in electrolysis of thoses alts was studied. In the case of the formate and sulfate ions, themigration kept therule of an exponential function to the consumed charge. On the otherhand, in the case of the chlorideion, it was in direct proportion to the charge. The order of the amount of the migration of anions was asfollows; formate>chloride>su1fate>hydrogencarbonate. There ason for the extremely low concentration of hydrogencarbonate ion (orcarbonateion) in the catholyte was that CO₂ gas was already saturated in the anolyte at the beginning of the electrolysis.