An electrode of a chemical cell includes a substrate having a surface, an array of conductive projections supported by the substrate and extending outward from the surface of the substrate, each conductive projection of the array of conductive projections having a semiconductor composition for reduction of carbon dioxide (CO.sub.2) in the chemical cell, and a catalyst arrangement disposed along each conductive projection of the array of conductive projections, the catalyst arrangement including a copper-based catalyst and an iron-based catalyst for the reduction of carbon dioxide (CO.sub.2) in the chemical cell.

An electrode of a chemical cell includes a substrate having a surface, an array of conductive projections supported by the substrate and extending outward from the surface of the substrate, each conductive projection of the array of conductive projections having a semiconductor composition for reduction of carbon dioxide (CO.sub.2) in the chemical cell, and a catalyst arrangement disposed along each conductive projection of the array of conductive projections, the catalyst arrangement including a copper-based catalyst and an iron-based catalyst for the reduction of carbon dioxide (CO.sub.2) in the chemical cell.

There is provided a catalytic system including a fibrous hydrophobic substrate, a first layer having a first layer thickness including copper or copper alloy nanoparticles covering the polymeric substrate, and a second layer having a second layer thickness over the first layer and including amorphous nitrogen-doped carbon, wherein the catalytic system includes confined interlayer spaces defined by regions where the first layer and the second layer are spaced apart from each other. The catalytic system can be used for catalyzing the electrochemical reduction of carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, or a combination thereof. Thus, there is also provided a method for the electrochemical reduction of carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, or a combination thereof, using the catalytic system.

An electrode of a chemical cell includes a substrate having a surface, an array of conductive projections supported by the substrate and extending outward from the surface of the substrate, each conductive projection of the array of conductive projections having a semiconductor composition for reduction of carbon dioxide (CO.sub.2) in the chemical cell, and a catalyst arrangement disposed along each conductive projection of the array of conductive projections, the catalyst arrangement including a copper-based catalyst and an iron-based catalyst for the reduction of carbon dioxide (CO.sub.2) in the chemical cell.

An electrode of a chemical cell includes a substrate having a surface, an array of conductive projections supported by the substrate and extending outward from the surface of the substrate, each conductive projection of the array of conductive projections having a semiconductor composition for reduction of carbon dioxide (CO.sub.2) in the chemical cell, and a catalyst arrangement disposed along each conductive projection of the array of conductive projections, the catalyst arrangement including a copper-based catalyst and an iron-based catalyst for the reduction of carbon dioxide (CO.sub.2) in the chemical cell.

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 are a photoelectrochemical electrode and a method of manufacturing the same, which enable mass production at low cost. The photoelectrochemical electrode manufactured by forming a transition metal dichalcogenide layer on all or part of the surface of a porous substrate includes a porous substrate and a metal dichalcogenide layer on all or part of the surface of the porous substrate, thus improving photoelectrode characteristics and photocatalytic efficiency.

A method for preparing bismuth oxide nanowire films by heating in an upside down position includes: washing a substrate, and fixing the substrate to a substrate support in a magnetron sputtering system in a position where an electrically conductive surface of the substrate faces downwards; placing a bismuth target, which is adhered to a copper backing plate, on a sputtering head in the magnetron sputtering system; performing direct current magnetron sputtering to form a bismuth film on the electrically conductive surface of the substrate; and regulating a heating temperature to maintain the bismuth film in a semi-molten state, and providing a predetermined oxygen gas concentration to form the bismuth oxide nanowire film.

A method for preparing bismuth oxide nanowire films by heating in an upside down position includes: washing a substrate, and fixing the substrate to a substrate support in a magnetron sputtering system in a position where an electrically conductive surface of the substrate faces downwards; placing a bismuth target, which is adhered to a copper backing plate, on a sputtering head in the magnetron sputtering system; performing direct current magnetron sputtering to form a bismuth film on the electrically conductive surface of the substrate; and regulating a heating temperature to maintain the bismuth film in a semi-molten state, and providing a predetermined oxygen gas concentration to form the bismuth oxide nanowire film.