The present invention relates to an electrode comprising an electrically conductive substrate of which at least one portion of the surface is covered with a metal deposit of copper, the surface of said deposit being in an oxidised, sulphurised, selenised and/or tellurised form and the deposit having a specific surface area of more than 1 m.sup.2/g; a method for preparing such an electrode; and a method for oxygenising water with dioxygen involving such an electrode.

The present invention realizes industrially excellent effects such that when electric power having a large output fluctuation, such as renewable energy, is used as a power source, electrolysis performance is unlikely to be deteriorated and excellent catalytic activity is retained stably over a longer period of time, and in addition, the present invention provides a technique that enables forming a catalyst layer of an oxygen generation anode, which gives such excellent effects, with a more versatile materials and by a simple electrolysis method. Provided are an alkaline water electrolysis method including supplying an electrolyte obtained by dispersing a catalyst containing a hybrid nickel-iron hydroxide nanosheet (NiFe-ns) being a composite of a metal hydroxide and an organic substance to an anode chamber and a cathode chamber, and using the electrolyte for electrolysis in each chamber in common, an alkaline water electrolysis method including supplying an electrolyte obtained by dispersing a catalyst containing the NiFe-ns to an anode chamber and a cathode chamber, and performing electrolytic deposition of the NiFe-ns in the electrolytic cell during operation to electrolytically deposit the NiFe-ns on a surface of an electrically conductive substrate having a catalyst layer formed on a surface of an oxygen generation anode, thereby recovering and improving electrolysis performance, and an alkaline water electrolysis anode.

The present invention realizes industrially excellent effects such that when electric power having a large output fluctuation, such as renewable energy, is used as a power source, electrolysis performance is unlikely to be deteriorated and excellent catalytic activity is retained stably over a longer period of time, and in addition, the present invention provides a technique that enables forming a catalyst layer of an oxygen generation anode, which gives such excellent effects, with a more versatile materials and by a simple electrolysis method. Provided are an alkaline water electrolysis method including supplying an electrolyte obtained by dispersing a catalyst containing a hybrid nickel-iron hydroxide nanosheet (NiFe-ns) being a composite of a metal hydroxide and an organic substance to an anode chamber and a cathode chamber, and using the electrolyte for electrolysis in each chamber in common, an alkaline water electrolysis method including supplying an electrolyte obtained by dispersing a catalyst containing the NiFe-ns to an anode chamber and a cathode chamber, and performing electrolytic deposition of the NiFe-ns in the electrolytic cell during operation to electrolytically deposit the NiFe-ns on a surface of an electrically conductive substrate having a catalyst layer formed on a surface of an oxygen generation anode, thereby recovering and improving electrolysis performance, and an alkaline water electrolysis anode.

A catalytic system for CO.sub.2 capture and sequestration. The system includes a reduction cell for separating a carrier medium having an anode generating oxygen, a cathode generating hydrogen, and a CO precursor from the carrier medium. In addition, the system includes a power supply for providing electrical power to the anode and the cathode. An electrolysis process occurs where oxygen, hydrogen, CO precursors are produced. The anode and the cathode include a plurality of geometrical constructs to increase an active surface area of a catalytic surface of the anode and cathode to increase an efficiency of the electrolysis process. The geometrical constructs may include vias and pillars. In one embodiment, a capillary action is produced for CO.sub.2 sequestration across the catalytic surface having a plurality of vias.

A catalytic system for CO.sub.2 capture and sequestration. The system includes a reduction cell for separating a carrier medium having an anode generating oxygen, a cathode generating hydrogen, and a CO precursor from the carrier medium. In addition, the system includes a power supply for providing electrical power to the anode and the cathode. An electrolysis process occurs where oxygen, hydrogen, CO precursors are produced. The anode and the cathode include a plurality of geometrical constructs to increase an active surface area of a catalytic surface of the anode and cathode to increase an efficiency of the electrolysis process. The geometrical constructs may include vias and pillars. In one embodiment, a capillary action is produced for CO.sub.2 sequestration across the catalytic surface having a plurality of vias.

The present invention provides a process for incorporating at least one nano-catalyst on the surface of and within a plurality of pores of an electrode. The process includes spraying or dripping a catechol based surfactant onto the surface of and within one or more pores of a solid oxide electrochemical cell having an anode electrode and a cathode electrode; spraying or dripping a nano-catalyst solution onto the surface of and within one or more pores of the solid oxide electrochemical cell that has been pretreated with the catechol based surfactant for forming a modified solid oxide electrochemical cell; and firing the modified solid oxide electrochemical cell above a calcination temperature of the nano-catalyst solution for forming a nano-catalyst on the surface and within at least one or more pores of the solid oxide electrochemical cell.

The present invention relates to an enhanced catalytic nickel oxide sheet having an organic part which includes non-stoichiometric nickel oxides dispersed in an organic matrix, wherein the catalytic sheet is supported on a substrate. The invention also relates to a method for obtaining the catalytic film and to its uses as an electrode in electrocatalysis of water or in photocatalysis.

Electrochemical systems and methods for cleaving C—C bonds are disclosed. In performing the method, a reactant adsorption electrical potential, a C—C bond breaking electrical potential, and a desorption electrical potential are sequentially applied to an electrode pair contacting a composition initially containing a target chemical reactant, such as a polymer or alkane. As a result of performing the method, one or more desired chemical products, such as smaller alkane-containing molecules, are released from the electrode into the region between the electrode pairs. The method may be performed at ambient temperatures using renewable electricity.

A titanium substrate of the present invention includes a substrate main body formed of titanium or a titanium alloy, in which a Magneli phase titanium oxide film formed of a Magneli phase titanium oxide represented by a chemical formula Ti.sub.nO.sub.2n-1 (4≤n≤10) is formed on a surface of the substrate main body and a BET value of the substrate main body on which the Magneli phase titanium oxide film is formed is 0.1 m.sup.2/g or less.

Electrosynthesis of oxirane can include contacting a halide electrolyte with an anode and cathode respectively located in anodic and cathodic compartments; supplying olefin reactants into the electrolyte in the anodic compartment, such that the anode generates ethylene chlorohydrin; withdrawing a loaded anodic solution comprising ethylene halohydrin from the anodic compartment, and a loaded cathodic solution comprising OH.sup.- ions from the cathodic compartment; and mixing the loaded anodic solution with the loaded cathodic solution under conditions to react ethylene halohydrin with OH- to produce oxirane. The electrocatalyst can include iridium oxide on a titanium substrate, with the iridium oxide provided as nanoparticles on a titanium mesh, and the electrolyte can be aqueous KCl. The electrocatalyst can define an extended heterogenous:homogenous interface with halide ions acting as a reservoir for positive charges, thereby storing and redistributing positive charges to promote selective generation of ethylene halohydrins.