Abstract: The invention relates to an electrochemical process for the production of sodium hydroxide and sulfuric acid from aqueous sodium sulfate solutions, said process comprising the feeding of an aqueous sodium sulfate solution into a salt splitter device comprising at least three compartments including a middle feed compartment which is between an anode compartment and a cathode compartment, wherein the feed compartment is separated from the anode compartment by a chemically-functionalized anion exchange membrane, and wherein the feed compartment is separated from the cathode compartment by a chemically-functionalized cation exchange membrane. Specifically, the chemically-functionalized anion exchange membrane of the present invention is a perfluorohydrocarbon polymer material to which has been grafted a plurality of benzo-crown ether groups which have been complexed with a metal ion selected from sodium, potassium and lithium.