According to one embodiment, there is provided a carbon dioxide fixation system includes an electrolytic cell and a settling tank. An electrolytic cell electrolyzes seawater to generate sodium hydroxide (NaOH). A settling tank mixes the sodium hydroxide generated in the electrolytic cell, concentrated seawater, and carbon dioxide (CO.sub.2) to precipitate magnesium carbonate in which the carbon dioxide is fixed to magnesium (Mg) contained in the concentrated seawater.

According to one embodiment, there is provided a carbon dioxide fixation system includes an electrolytic cell and a settling tank. An electrolytic cell electrolyzes seawater to generate sodium hydroxide (NaOH). A settling tank mixes the sodium hydroxide generated in the electrolytic cell, concentrated seawater, and carbon dioxide (CO.sub.2) to precipitate magnesium carbonate in which the carbon dioxide is fixed to magnesium (Mg) contained in the concentrated seawater.

In this disclosure, a process of recycling acid, base and the salt reagents required in the Li recovery process is introduced. A membrane electrolysis cell which incorporates an oxygen depolarized cathode is implemented to generate the required chemicals onsite. The system can utilize a portion of the salar brine or other lithium-containing brine or solid waste to generate hydrochloric or sulfuric acid, sodium hydroxide and carbonate salts. Simultaneous generation of acid and base allows for taking advantage of both chemicals during the conventional Li recovery from brines and mineral rocks. The desalinated water can also be used for the washing steps on the recovery process or returned into the evaporation ponds. The method also can be used for the direct conversion of lithium salts to the high value LiOH product. The method does not produce any solid effluent which makes it easy-to-adopt for use in existing industrial Li recovery plants.

In this disclosure, a process of recycling acid, base and the salt reagents required in the Li recovery process is introduced. A membrane electrolysis cell which incorporates an oxygen depolarized cathode is implemented to generate the required chemicals onsite. The system can utilize a portion of the salar brine or other lithium-containing brine or solid waste to generate hydrochloric or sulfuric acid, sodium hydroxide and carbonate salts. Simultaneous generation of acid and base allows for taking advantage of both chemicals during the conventional Li recovery from brines and mineral rocks. The desalinated water can also be used for the washing steps on the recovery process or returned into the evaporation ponds. The method also can be used for the direct conversion of lithium salts to the high value LiOH product. The method does not produce any solid effluent which makes it easy-to-adopt for use in existing industrial Li recovery plants.

Disclosed herein is an electrolyte comprising OH.sup.− and a hydrogen evolution electrocatalyst, an oxygen evolution electrocatalyst, a bifunctional hydrogen/oxygen evolution electrocatalyst, or any combination thereof for use in in situ deposition or utilization.

Disclosed herein is an electrolyte comprising OH.sup.− and a hydrogen evolution electrocatalyst, an oxygen evolution electrocatalyst, a bifunctional hydrogen/oxygen evolution electrocatalyst, or any combination thereof for use in in situ deposition or utilization.

A method for performing an electrolysis using an electrolysis stack having multiple electrolysis cells, wherein each of the electrolysis cells has: an anode space with an anode, a cathode space with a cathode, a membrane that separates the anode space and the cathode space from each other, and a recombination catalyst. The method includes feeding an electrolysis medium to the electrolysis stack and determining a flow rate at which the electrolysis medium is fed to the electrolysis stack, providing electrical energy to the electrolysis stack for performing the electrolysis with the electrolysis medium fed to the electrolysis stack, and determining a degree of degradation of the membranes based on the determined flow rate of the electrolysis medium.

Electrosynthesis of oxirane can include contacting a halide electrolyte with an anode that includes an electrocatalyst comprising iridium oxide loaded with a period-6 metal oxide and provided on a metal substrate. The cathode can be operated under ORR conditions. The electrochemical system can also be provided as an integrated system that includes CO.sub.2 electroreduction to produce ethylene and formation of hypochlorous acid using the electrocatalyst, followed by contact of the ethylene and the hypochlorous acid to form ethylene chlorohydrin which is, in turn, contacted with OH.sup.− ions to produce oxirane.

Electrosynthesis of oxirane can include contacting a halide electrolyte with an anode that includes an electrocatalyst comprising iridium oxide loaded with a period-6 metal oxide and provided on a metal substrate. The cathode can be operated under ORR conditions. The electrochemical system can also be provided as an integrated system that includes CO.sub.2 electroreduction to produce ethylene and formation of hypochlorous acid using the electrocatalyst, followed by contact of the ethylene and the hypochlorous acid to form ethylene chlorohydrin which is, in turn, contacted with OH.sup.− ions to produce oxirane.

Provided herein, are anode and/or cathode pan assemblies comprising unique ribs and welds configurations; electrochemical cell and/or electrolyzer containing the anode and/or the cathode pan assemblies; and methods to use and manufacture the same.