An electrochemical reactor system adapted for producing a chemical product from a reactant includes (a) separate electrochemical and production cells and (b) a charge carrier compound in a catholyte adapted to effectively decouple the charging of the charge carrier compound in the electrochemical cell with the electrochemical conversion of a reactant to a desired chemical product in the production cell.

It is the object of the present invention to present a cell for extracting oxygen from lunar regolith via Molten Oxide Electrolysis, comprising (i) a cathode, (ii) an anode and (iii) a crucible, wherein the anode is characterized as at least partially liquid. The anode may be constructed from palladium, lead, silver, gold, platinum tantalum, or from a mixture.

The present invention refers to an electrolytic treatment device having an anodic compartment comprising a non-chromium (VI) etching solution to be treated and immersed therein an anode. The anodic compartment is separated by a membrane from a cathodic compartment comprising a cathodic solution comprising an inorganic acid, wherein the anode and the cathode are used comprising or consisting of a ternary or higher Pb alloy with Sn and at least one further metal selected from the group consisting of Sb, Ag, Co, Bi and combinations thereof. Moreover, a method for etching plastic parts is provided as well.

A device for obtaining a newly generated oxygen from an atmospheric environment is disclosed. The device includes a container having an inlet and an outlet, a cathode accommodated in the container and being in contact with an environmental oxygen in the atmospheric environment, an anode accommodated in the container and disposed at a position opposite to the cathode, an electrolyte accommodated in the container and immersing therein the cathode and the anode, a moisture removal unit disposed at the outlet having an outlet position, and a gas permeable element disposed at the outlet, wherein the cathode is disposed at the inlet, and the gas permeable element is disposed at a position closer to the outlet position than the moisture removal unit.

A device for obtaining a newly generated oxygen from an atmospheric environment is disclosed. The device includes a container having an inlet and an outlet, a cathode accommodated in the container and being in contact with an environmental oxygen in the atmospheric environment, an anode accommodated in the container and disposed at a position opposite to the cathode, an electrolyte accommodated in the container and immersing therein the cathode and the anode, a moisture removal unit disposed at the outlet having an outlet position, and a gas permeable element disposed at the outlet, wherein the cathode is disposed at the inlet, and the gas permeable element is disposed at a position closer to the outlet position than the moisture removal unit.

A method of preparing metal hydroxides from industrial wastes or alkaline rocks is provided. The method comprise subjecting a mixture comprising a solvent and a solid substrate to a stimulus in order to leach a metal cation from the solid substrate into the solvent, thereby forming a solution comprising the metal cation in the solvent; and contacting the solution of comprising the metal cation with a cathode, thereby electrolytically precipitating the metal hydroxide from the solution. The stimulus may be chemical, mechanical, or both.

A method of preparing metal hydroxides from industrial wastes or alkaline rocks is provided. The method comprise subjecting a mixture comprising a solvent and a solid substrate to a stimulus in order to leach a metal cation from the solid substrate into the solvent, thereby forming a solution comprising the metal cation in the solvent; and contacting the solution of comprising the metal cation with a cathode, thereby electrolytically precipitating the metal hydroxide from the solution. The stimulus may be chemical, mechanical, or both.

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.

A device for performing electrolysis of water is disclosed. The device may include a semiconductor structure with a surface and an electron guiding layer below said surface, the electron guiding layer of the semiconductor structure being configured to guide electron movement in a plane parallel to the surface. The electron guiding layer of the semiconductor structure may include an InGaN quantum well or a heterojunction, the heterojunction being a junction between AlN material and GaN material or between AlGaN material and GaN material and at least one metal cathode arranged on the surface of the semiconductor structure. The device may further include at least one photoanode arranged on the surface of the semiconductor structure, wherein the at least one photoanode may include a plurality of quantum dots of In.sub.xGa.sub.(1-x)N material, wherein 0.4≤x≤1. A system including such a device is also disclosed.