Disclosed herein is a process for making an at least partially coated electrode active material. The process includes: (a) providing an electrode active material according to general formula Li.sub.1+xTM.sub.1−xO.sub.2, where TM includes Ni, Mn and, optionally, Co and at least one metal selected from Al, Nb, Ta, Zr, Ti and Zr, where x is between 0.05 and 0.2, and where the Ni content is at least 55 mol-% referring to TM, (b) treating said electrode active material with a metal alkyl compound, (c) treating the material obtained in step (b) with an oxidant or moisture, (d) treating the material obtained from step (c) with a compound according to formula M.sup.1OR.sup.1 where M.sup.1 is selected from the group consisting of Li, Na and K and where R.sup.1 is selected from the group consisting of isopropyl, n-butyl and tert.-butyl, and (e) repeating the sequence of steps (b) to (d) from 1-30 times.

This disclosure relates to polymer electrolyte membranes, and in particular, to a composite membrane having at least two reinforcing layers comprising a microporous polymer structure and a surprisingly high resistance to piercing. This disclosure also relates to composite membrane-assemblies and electrochemical devices comprising the composite membranes of the disclosure, and to methods of manufacture of the composite membranes.

This disclosure relates to polymer electrolyte membranes, and in particular, to a composite membrane having at least two reinforcing layers comprising a microporous polymer structure and a surprisingly high resistance to piercing. This disclosure also relates to composite membrane-assemblies and electrochemical devices comprising the composite membranes of the disclosure, and to methods of manufacture of the composite membranes.

An electrode for a reaction in a chemical cell includes a substrate having a surface, an array of nanostructures supported by the substrate and extending outward from the surface of the substrate, each nanostructure of the array of nanostructures having a semiconductor composition, and a catalyst arrangement disposed along each nanostructure of the array of nanostructures, the catalyst arrangement comprising a metal-based catalyst for the reaction in the chemical cell. The semiconductor composition of each nanostructure of the array of nanostructures establishes sites at which the metal-based catalyst is anchored to the nanostructure. The array of nanostructures and the catalyst arrangement are configured such that the metal-based catalyst is distributed along sidewalls of each nanostructure of the array of nanostructures at an atomic scale.

An electrode for a reaction in a chemical cell includes a substrate having a surface, an array of nanostructures supported by the substrate and extending outward from the surface of the substrate, each nanostructure of the array of nanostructures having a semiconductor composition, and a catalyst arrangement disposed along each nanostructure of the array of nanostructures, the catalyst arrangement comprising a metal-based catalyst for the reaction in the chemical cell. The semiconductor composition of each nanostructure of the array of nanostructures establishes sites at which the metal-based catalyst is anchored to the nanostructure. The array of nanostructures and the catalyst arrangement are configured such that the metal-based catalyst is distributed along sidewalls of each nanostructure of the array of nanostructures at an atomic scale.

The invention is directed to a process for electrochemically converting a reactant gas, to an electrolyser, to a gas diffusion electrode, to a method for producing a gas diffusion electrode, to a gas diffusion layer, and to the use of said gas diffusion layer and/or gas diffusion electrode.

The process comprises reacting a reactant gas at a gas diffusion electrode to form a product gas and/or a liquid product,

wherein the gas diffusion electrode comprises a gas diffusion layer comprising a non-porous layer that is permeable to carbon monoxide and/or carbon dioxide gas, and a porous layer, and
the reactant gas comprises carbon monoxide and/or carbon dioxide.

Various embodiments include a method for producing a gas diffusion electrode, the method comprising: providing a raw electrode layer comprising an electrically non-conducting web; adapting a thickness of the raw electrode layer; and applying a non-solvent to the raw electrode layer.

An electrocatalyst comprising molybdenum disulfide nanosheets with dispersed iron phosphide nanoparticles is described. The molybdenum disulfide nanosheets may have an average length in a range of 300 nm-1 μm and the iron phosphide nanoparticles may have an average diameter in a range of 5-20 nm. The electrocatalyst may have an electroactive surface area in a range of 10-50 mF.Math.cm.sup.−2 when deposited on a working electrode for use in a hydrogen evolution reaction.

An electrocatalyst comprising molybdenum disulfide nanosheets with dispersed iron phosphide nanoparticles is described. The molybdenum disulfide nanosheets may have an average length in a range of 300 nm-1 μm and the iron phosphide nanoparticles may have an average diameter in a range of 5-20 nm. The electrocatalyst may have an electroactive surface area in a range of 10-50 mF.Math.cm.sup.−2 when deposited on a working electrode for use in a hydrogen evolution reaction.

The present invention relates to a method for CO.sub.2 electroreduction to syngas, a mixture of carbon monoxide (CO) and hydrogen (H.sub.2), using a cathode comprising an electrically conductive support of which at least a part of the surface is covered by a metal deposit of zinc and of a second metal selected from copper, gold and mixtures thereof, and being preferably copper, said metal deposit comprising at least 1 wt % of one or several phases of an alloy of zinc and of the second metal.

The present invention relates also to an electrode useful for performing this method, a process for preparing such an electrode and an electrolysis device comprising such an electrode.