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Apparatus and method for performing an electrochemical process involving hydrogen and gaseous compounds capable of dissociating into or combining with hydrogen ions using a solid electrolyte concentration cell. Specific applications are fuel cells for producing an electrical current and separation o

Apparatus and method for performing an electrochemical process involving hydrogen and gaseous compounds capable of dissociating into or combining with hydrogen ions using a solid electrolyte concentration cell. Specific applications are fuel cells for producing an electrical current and separation of hydrogen from a gaseous mixture. A novel solid electrolyte membrane is used which comprises an organic polymer-inorganic compound blend prepared by admixing an organic polymer such as poly(vinyl alcohol) with a phosphoric acid in a mutually miscible solvent. For increased strength, a membrane may be composited with or attached to a porous support. In one embodiment, the membrane may be formed into a hollow fiber having electrically conductive particles with catalyst embedded in the fiber walls; a multiplicity of such fibers may be used to form a hydrogen separation device.

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Apparatus for performing an electrochemical process involving a gaseous mixture having a component which is capable, in the presence of a catalytic agent, of dissociating to yield hydrogen ions or of combining with hydrogen ions, comprising: (a) a thin film macroscopically homogeneous polymer blend

Apparatus for performing an electrochemical process involving a gaseous mixture having a component which is capable, in the presence of a catalytic agent, of dissociating to yield hydrogen ions or of combining with hydrogen ions, comprising: (a) a thin film macroscopically homogeneous polymer blend membrane possessing a high protonic conductivity and which is formed by removing the solvent from a solution of a phosphoric acid and an organic polymer, wherein said phosphoric acid is present in the blend in an amount in the range of about 10% to about 70% by weight of the blend and is selected from a group consisting of hypophosphoric acid, metaphosphoric acid, orthophosphoric acid, pyrophosphoric acid, and polyphosphoric acid, and wherein said organic polymer is present in the blend in an amount in the range of about 90% to about 30% by weight of the blend and is selected from a group consisting of poly(vinyl alcohol), poly(vinyl fluoride), polyethylenimine, poly(ethylene glycol), cellulose acetate, poly(ethyloxazoline), poly(vinyl sulfonic acid), poly(vinyl pyridine), poly(vinyl pyrrolidone), polyimide, poly(acrylamide), poly(acrylic acid), poly(N-isopropyl acrylamide), poly(N,N-dimethyl acrylamide), and copolymers having as repeat units the monomer units used in the polymers of said group. (b) a membrane housing comprising a first gas chamber and a second gas chamber separated by a partition comprising said membrane, said membrane having a first surface in common with the first gas chamber and a second surface in common with the second gas chamber; (c) two separate portions of catalytic agent effective to promote dissociation and combination, a first portion in contact with said first surface and a second portion in contact with said second surface of said membrane; and (d) means for forming electrical connection in operative contact with said catalytic agent at said first surface and with said catalytic agent at said second surface.