Provided is a water electrolysis cell capable of suppressing a deterioration in performance even when a microporous layer is provided. A water electrolysis cell includes a solid polymer electrolyte membrane, a catalyst layer, a microporous layer, and a gas diffusion layer. The microporous layer includes a carrier made of an oxide containing at least one element selected from Ti, Mn, Co, Mo, Ru, W, Nb, and Ta, and a conductive material supported on the carrier.

Provided is a water electrolysis cell capable of suppressing a deterioration in performance even when a microporous layer is provided. A water electrolysis cell includes a solid polymer electrolyte membrane, a catalyst layer, a microporous layer, and a gas diffusion layer. The microporous layer includes a carrier made of an oxide containing at least one element selected from Ti, Mn, Co, Mo, Ru, W, Nb, and Ta, and a conductive material supported on the carrier.

A CoVO.sub.x composite electrode and method of making is described. The composite electrode comprises a substrate with an average 0.5-5 μm thick layer of CoVO.sub.x having pores with average diameters of 2-200 nm. The method of making the composite electrode involves contacting the substrate with an aerosol comprising a solvent, a cobalt complex, and a vanadium complex. The CoVO.sub.x composite electrode is capable of being used in an electrochemical cell for water oxidation.

A device for performing electrolysis of water is disclosed. The device comprising: a semiconductor structure comprising 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 comprising 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; at least one metal cathode arranged on the surface of the semiconductor structure; and at least one photoanode arranged on the surface of the semiconductor structure, wherein the at least one photoanode comprises a plurality of quantum dots of In.sub.xGa.sub.(1−x)N material, wherein 0.4≤x≤1. A system comprising such device is also disclosed.

Herein discussed is an electrochemical reactor comprising an ionically conducting membrane, wherein the reactor performs the water gas shift reactions electrochemically without electricity input, wherein electrochemical water gas shift reactions involve the exchange of an ion through the membrane and include forward water gas shift reactions, or reverse water gas shift reactions, or both. Also discussed herein is a reactor comprising: a bi-functional layer and a mixed conducting membrane; wherein the bi-functional layer and the mixed conducting membrane are in contact with each other, and wherein the bi-functional layer catalyzes reverse-water-gas-shift (RWGS) reaction and functions as an anode in an electrochemical reaction.

A CoVO.sub.x composite electrode and method of making is described. The composite electrode comprises a substrate with an average 0.5-5 μm thick layer of CoVO.sub.x having pores with average diameters of 2-200 nm. The method of making the composite electrode involves contacting the substrate with an aerosol comprising a solvent, a cobalt complex, and a vanadium complex. The CoVO.sub.x composite electrode is capable of being used in an electrochemical cell for water oxidation.

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.

A method of preparing bismuth vanadate particles is described. The bismuth vanadate particles prepared via ultrasonication and hydrothermal treatment exhibit controlled morphology (e.g., octahedral shape) and crystallinity (e.g., tetragonal crystal symmetry). A photoelectrode containing bismuth vanadate particles and a method of using the photoelectrode in a photoelectrochemical cell for water splitting is also provided.

A method of preparing bismuth vanadate particles is described. The bismuth vanadate particles prepared via ultrasonication and hydrothermal treatment exhibit controlled morphology (e.g., octahedral shape) and crystallinity (e.g., tetragonal crystal symmetry). A photoelectrode containing bismuth vanadate particles and a method of using the photoelectrode in a photoelectrochemical cell for water splitting is also provided.

-- An electrolysis cell unit capable of efficiently electrolyzing water and carbon dioxide is obtained. An electrolysis cell unit includes at least an electrolysis cell in which an electrode layer and a counter electrode layer are formed with an electrolyte layer interposed therebetween and a discharge path for discharging hydrogen generated in the electrode layer, in which the electrolysis cell being formed in a thin layer on a support and a reverse water-gas shift reaction unit that generates carbon monoxide using carbon dioxide and the hydrogen by a reverse water-gas shift reaction being provided in at least a portion of the discharge path.--