Processes and systems for oxidation of a hydrocarbon reactant to generate an oxidized hydrocarbon product may include: contacting a water oxidation electrocatalyst with the hydrocarbon reactant and water in the presence of a non-aqueous solvent; wherein an anodic bias is applied to the water oxidation electrocatalyst, thereby generating the oxidized hydrocarbon product; and wherein the water oxidation electrocatalyst comprises one or more transition metals other than Ru. Optionally, the water is provided in the non-aqueous solvent at a concentration less than or equal to 0.5 vol. %. Optionally, the magnitude of the anodic bias is selected to generate the oxidized hydrocarbon product characterized by selected product distribution.

A method of making alkenes and/or epoxides from alkanes and hydroxy-alkanes, respectively. In a reactor having an anode and a cathode separated by an ion exchange membrane, and containing a solution comprising water, halogen ions, and an alkane and/or a hydroxy-alkane, apply a potential across the anode and the cathode such that a halogenated intermediate is produced at the anode as an anolyte and hydroxyl ions are produced at the cathode as a catholyte; and combining the anolyte and the catholyte to yield an alkene and/or an epoxide.

A method of making alkenes and/or epoxides from alkanes and hydroxy-alkanes, respectively. In a reactor having an anode and a cathode separated by an ion exchange membrane, and containing a solution comprising water, halogen ions, and an alkane and/or a hydroxy-alkane, apply a potential across the anode and the cathode such that a halogenated intermediate is produced at the anode as an anolyte and hydroxyl ions are produced at the cathode as a catholyte; and combining the anolyte and the catholyte to yield an alkene and/or an epoxide.

A system and method with a solid oxide electrolysis cell (SOEC), including feeding carbon dioxide and an olefin to the SOEC and discharging carbon monoxide and an olefin oxide from the SOEC, wherein the olefin oxide corresponds to the olefin.

A system and method with a solid oxide electrolysis cell (SOEC), including feeding carbon dioxide and an olefin to the SOEC and discharging carbon monoxide and an olefin oxide from the SOEC, wherein the olefin oxide corresponds to the olefin.

The invention relates to a method for producing a functionalised semiconductor or conductor material from a layered structured base material by electrolytic exfoliation in an electrolysis cell, comprising at least one electrode pair consisting of first and second electrodes, and an aqueous and/or alcoholic electrolyte solution, containing sulphuric acid and/or at least one salt selected from sulphate and/or hydrogen sulphate and/or perchlorate and/or persulphate salt, comprising the steps of: a) bringing the electrodes into contact with the electrolyte solution; b) electronically exfoliating the base material by applying a voltage between the first and the second electrode; c) separating the functionalised conductor or semiconductor material from the electrolyte solution, wherein at least the first of the electrodes of the electrode pair contains the layered, carbon-based base material, the first electrode being connected as an anode, wherein at least one organic compound is added to the electrolyte solution before and/or during and/or immediately after the electrolytic exfoliation, wherein the organic compound is selected from i) anodically oxidisable organic molecules containing at least one alcohol group and/or at least one amino group and/or at least one carboxyl group, and/or ii) organic molecules containing at least one isocyanate group and/or at least one halide group and/or at least one epoxide group and/or at least one diazonium group and/or at least one peroxide group and/or at least one azide group and/or cyclic esters and/or cyclic amides, and/or iii) precursors or monomers of electrically conductive polymers, and/or iv) free-radical polymerisable, water-soluble vinyl monomers which have in their structure at least one amino group and/or at least one anionic functional group.

A method of a hydrocarbon product and ammonia comprises introducing C.sub.2H.sub.6 to a positive electrode of an electrochemical cell comprising the positive electrode, a negative electrode, and a proton-conducting membrane between the positive electrode and the negative electrode. The proton-conducting membrane comprising an electrolyte material having an ionic conductivity greater than or equal to about 10.sup.−2 S/cm at one or more temperatures within a range of from about 150° C. to about 600° C. N.sub.2 is introduced to the negative electrode of the electrochemical cell. A potential difference is applied between the positive electrode and the negative electrode of the electrochemical cell. A system for co-producing higher hydrocarbons and NH3, and an electrochemical cell are also described.

Provided is a method for upgrading pyrolysis oil through seawater electrochemical pretreatment of biomass and use thereof. The method includes: (1) crushing and sieving a biomass raw material to obtain a crushed biomass raw material, adding the crushed biomass raw material to a salt solution and mixing to be uniform to obtain a reactant mixture; performing an electrolytic reaction on the reactant mixture under conditions of stirring and an external voltage of 5-15 V for 2-8 hours to obtain a product mixture; after the electrolytic reaction, subjecting the product mixture to a suction filtration, collecting a filter cake, washing the filter cake and drying to obtain a pretreated biomass, and (2) subjecting the pretreated biomass obtained in step (1) to a pyrolysis reaction at a temperature of 400-600° C. for 30-90 minutes in a protective gas atmosphere, and collecting a pyrolysis oil by an organic solvent.

Apparatuses and methods for performing coupled chemical and electrochemical reactions are disclosed. An electrochemical cell has a first reaction chamber configured to perform a chemical reaction and an anode chamber configured to perform an electrochemical reaction. The first reaction chamber and the anode chamber are separated by a first membrane. The first membrane acts as a cathode of the cell, a hydrogen-selective layer and a catalyst. The first membrane may comprise a layer of palladium or a palladium alloy. An ion exchange membrane separates the first membrane and the anode chamber. The chemical and electrochemical reactions may respectively be hydrogenation and dehydrogenation reactions.

Apparatuses and methods for performing coupled chemical and electrochemical reactions are disclosed. An electrochemical cell has a first reaction chamber configured to perform a chemical reaction and an anode chamber configured to perform an electrochemical reaction. The first reaction chamber and the anode chamber are separated by a first membrane. The first membrane acts as a cathode of the cell, a hydrogen-selective layer and a catalyst. The first membrane may comprise a layer of palladium or a palladium alloy. An ion exchange membrane separates the first membrane and the anode chamber. The chemical and electrochemical reactions may respectively be hydrogenation and dehydrogenation reactions.