Assessment of the electrochemical production of sodium perborate

Abstract BACKGROUND The convenient operating conditions for the electrochemical production of sodium perborate were first estimated by using a rotating ring‐disc electrode. Based on these results two reactors – cylindrical batch and a recirculating parallel‐plate arrangement coupled with a reservoir – were examined, employing as anolyte a solution of sodium carbonate, borax and sodium silicate as a stabilising agent. With the use of the recirculating system the behaviour of platinum and boron‐doped diamond as anode materials was analysed, employing also different separators between the anodic and cathodic compartments. RESULTS The recirculating system with a platinum anode showed suitable performance at a current density of 100 mA cm −2 and a temperature of 10 °C. Under these operating conditions, the sodium perborate concentration was 97.6 mmol L −1 with a current efficiency of 21.4%. The specific energy consumption was 1.9 kW h mol −1 and the space–time yield was 29.3 mol m −3 h −1 . CONCLUSION A powder of monohydrate sodium perborate was obtained with 20 g L −1 NaOH as the initial catholyte concentration, alkalised the anolyte after electrolysis, settled at 10 °C, and after drying in a vacuum oven at 40 °C. The particles form oblong‐shaped agglomerates of different sizes, of the order of 50 μm. Thus the electrosynthesis of this oxidising agent is appraised as an alternative procedure to the chemical method. © 2025 Society of Chemical Industry (SCI).