Electrochemical conversion of CO.sub.2 to formic acid or a salt thereof, using an indium containing catalytic electrode, comprising (a) electrochemically converting CO.sub.2 to formic acid or a salt thereof by applying a voltage to an electrochemical cell comprising the catalytic electrode as cathode and an anode, wherein the electrochemical cell is fed with an electrolyte comprising CO.sub.2; and (b) regenerating the catalytic electrode by lowering the voltage and subsequently washing the catalytic electrode with an aqueous liquid and exposing the catalytic electrode to air without applying voltage; and (c) optionally repeating steps (a) and (b).

An alkaline electrolyser device for hydrogen production includes a first and a second electric charge battery substantially identical. Each electric charge battery has a first electrode of copper, silver or their alloys, coated with zinc, a second electrode with a ferrous catalyst, and an alkaline aqueous solution in which the first and second electrodes are immersed. An output opening placed in correspondence of the second electrode is suitable to allow the escape from the battery of gases which develop in correspondence of the second electrode. The batteries are short-circuited with an electric power supply member placed between the first or the second electrodes, with a predefined polarity such that the voltage across the electrodes is higher than 1.3 V. In this configuration, the first battery undergoes a discharging process producing hydrogen gas, whilst, contextually, the second battery undergoes a charging process generating oxygen gas. When the discharge cycle of the first battery is completed, the polarity of the electric power supply is inverted, so that the second battery begins to discharge producing hydrogen gas and, at the same time, the first battery recharges producing oxygen gas. The polarity inversion is repeated cyclically so that oxygen and hydrogen are produced alternately in the two batteries.

An alkaline electrolyser device for hydrogen production includes a first and a second electric charge battery substantially identical. Each electric charge battery has a first electrode of copper, silver or their alloys, coated with zinc, a second electrode with a ferrous catalyst, and an alkaline aqueous solution in which the first and second electrodes are immersed. An output opening placed in correspondence of the second electrode is suitable to allow the escape from the battery of gases which develop in correspondence of the second electrode. The batteries are short-circuited with an electric power supply member placed between the first or the second electrodes, with a predefined polarity such that the voltage across the electrodes is higher than 1.3 V. In this configuration, the first battery undergoes a discharging process producing hydrogen gas, whilst, contextually, the second battery undergoes a charging process generating oxygen gas. When the discharge cycle of the first battery is completed, the polarity of the electric power supply is inverted, so that the second battery begins to discharge producing hydrogen gas and, at the same time, the first battery recharges producing oxygen gas. The polarity inversion is repeated cyclically so that oxygen and hydrogen are produced alternately in the two batteries.

The present disclosure relates to electrocatalysts for electroreduction of a carbon-containing gas to produce n-propanol, for example. The electrocatalyst includes a multi-metallic material comprising a primary metal, such as Cu, and a metal dopant, such as Ag, selected and distributed to provide asymmetric active sites that include neighbouring atoms of the primary metal having distinct electronic structures to promote C2-C1 coupling. The electrocatalysts can be bimetallic or bimetallic, for example. The disclosure also relates to manufacturing and using the electrocatalysts, which can be used as a cathodic catalyst to convert CO or CO.sub.2 into multi-carbon products.

The present disclosure relates to electrocatalysts for electroreduction of a carbon-containing gas to produce n-propanol, for example. The electrocatalyst includes a multi-metallic material comprising a primary metal, such as Cu, and a metal dopant, such as Ag, selected and distributed to provide asymmetric active sites that include neighbouring atoms of the primary metal having distinct electronic structures to promote C2-C1 coupling. The electrocatalysts can be bimetallic or bimetallic, for example. The disclosure also relates to manufacturing and using the electrocatalysts, which can be used as a cathodic catalyst to convert CO or CO.sub.2 into multi-carbon products.

Aspects of the present disclosure generally relate to catalyst compositions, processes for producing such catalyst compositions, and uses of such catalyst compositions. In an embodiment, a composition is provided. The composition includes an electrolyte material or an ion thereof, an amphiphile material or an ion thereof, and a metal component, the metal component comprising an alloy having the formula (M.sup.1).sub.a(M.sup.2).sub.b, wherein M.sup.1 is a Group 10-11 metal of the periodic table of the elements, M.sup.2 is a first Group 8-11 metal of the periodic table of the elements, M.sup.1 and M.sup.2 are different, and a and b are positive numbers. In another embodiment, a device is provided that includes an electrolyte material or ion thereof, an amphiphile material or ion thereof, and a metal component disposed on an electrode, the metal component comprising a bimetallic nanoframe, a trimetallic nanoframe, or a combination thereof.

Aspects of the present disclosure generally relate to catalyst compositions, processes for producing such catalyst compositions, and uses of such catalyst compositions. In an embodiment, a composition is provided. The composition includes an electrolyte material or an ion thereof, an amphiphile material or an ion thereof, and a metal component, the metal component comprising an alloy having the formula (M.sup.1).sub.a(M.sup.2).sub.b, wherein M.sup.1 is a Group 10-11 metal of the periodic table of the elements, M.sup.2 is a first Group 8-11 metal of the periodic table of the elements, M.sup.1 and M.sup.2 are different, and a and b are positive numbers. In another embodiment, a device is provided that includes an electrolyte material or ion thereof, an amphiphile material or ion thereof, and a metal component disposed on an electrode, the metal component comprising a bimetallic nanoframe, a trimetallic nanoframe, or a combination thereof.

A catalyst comprising a porous electrically conductive substrate (such as a foam, carbon fibre paper and carbon fibre cloth) and a porous metallic composite of amorphous NiMoP coating at least a portion of the surface or multiple surfaces of the substrate. The composite preferably forms a continuous layer which coats the surfaces and pores of the substrate. Also methods for preparing and using the catalyst, for example in electrolytic water splitting.

The disclosure provides in its first aspect a catalyst system for gas-phase electrolysis of a reactant gas to form a product in an aqueous medium, the catalyst system comprising a catalytic material; an ion-conducting polymer layer provided on the catalytic material and comprising an ion-conducting polymer that includes hydrophilic and hydrophobic groups. Said catalyst system is remarkable in that the ion-conducting polymer layer has a thickness of 2 nm to 50 nm measured by transmission-electron microscopy. In its second aspect, the disclosure provides a method of manufacturing a catalyst system for gas-phase electrolysis of reactant gas to produce a product in an aqueous medium preferably according to the first aspect. The use of the catalyst system in accordance with the first aspect in the electrochemical production of at least one multi-carbon compound from a carbon-containing gas or of at least one product from a reactant gas is also disclosed.

The disclosure provides in its first aspect a catalyst system for gas-phase electrolysis of a reactant gas to form a product in an aqueous medium, the catalyst system comprising a catalytic material; an ion-conducting polymer layer provided on the catalytic material and comprising an ion-conducting polymer that includes hydrophilic and hydrophobic groups. Said catalyst system is remarkable in that the ion-conducting polymer layer has a thickness of 2 nm to 50 nm measured by transmission-electron microscopy. In its second aspect, the disclosure provides a method of manufacturing a catalyst system for gas-phase electrolysis of reactant gas to produce a product in an aqueous medium preferably according to the first aspect. The use of the catalyst system in accordance with the first aspect in the electrochemical production of at least one multi-carbon compound from a carbon-containing gas or of at least one product from a reactant gas is also disclosed.