A dual function composite oxygen transport membrane having a layered structure of mixed conducting oxygen transport materials on a first side of a porous substrate and a reforming catalyst layer on an opposing second side of the porous substrate. The layered structure of the mixed conducting oxygen transport materials contains an intermediate porous layer of mixed conducting oxygen transport materials formed on the porous substrate with a dense impervious layer of mixed conducting oxygen transport materials over the intermediate porous layer, and an optional surface exchange layer of mixed conducting oxygen transport materials over the dense impervious layer. The layered structure and the reforming catalyst layer are formed in separate steps.

Autonomous localized permeability material systems are provided that can include: a dynamically permeable porous material; and immobilized reagents operatively associated with the porous material in sufficient proximity to trigger a localized change in material pore size upon reagent reaction. Methods for preparing these materials are also provided as well as methods for autonomously modifying localized permeability of material.

The following phenomenon occurring in a fluororesin membrane material using, as its main material, a PTFE having a photocatalyst layer on a surface thereof is prevented: the surface of the membrane material is contaminated after the lapse of some years from the start of its use. A photocatalyst layer arranged on the PTFE layer of a Type A membrane material is formed of a photocatalyst and fluororesins, and the fluororesins are formed of at least one of a FEP ora PFA, and a PTFE. Here, the amount of the PTFE is preferably larger than that of at least one of the FEP or the PFA, and the weight of the photocatalyst is preferably 40% or less with respect to the total weight of the photocatalyst and the fluororesins.

A platinum-carbon electrocatalyst material comprising a carbon support having a minimum BET surface area of 1000 m.sup.2/g, a nitrogen content of at least 2.5 weight percent, which is present in the form of pyridine, pyridone or pyrrole, a phosphorous content of at least 3 weight percent, which is present in the form of phosphate and phosphonate, and a plurality of platinum nanoparticles dispersed on the carbon support having a maximum average particle diameter of 1.5 nm.

The present disclosure relates to nanocomposites of CuO/Cu.sub.2O and continuous flow solar reactors. The nanocomposites can be utilized as a photocatalyst and can be incorporated into photoelectrochemical devices. The described devices, systems, and methods can be used for converting CO.sub.2 into one or more alcohols and other small organics with the use of solar energy and electricity. Other embodiments are described.

The present invention is a structure, method of making and method of use for a novel macroscopic hierarchically structured, nitrogen-doped, nano-porous carbon membrane (HNDCMs) with asymmetric and hierarchical pore architecture that can be produced on a large-scale approach. The unique HNDCM holds great promise as components in separation and advanced carbon devices because they could offer unconventional fluidic transport phenomena on the nanoscale. Overall, the invention set forth herein covers a hierarchically structured, nitrogen-doped carbon membranes and methods of making and using such a membranes.

Zeolite membrane sheets for separation of mixtures containing water are provided, as well as methods for making the same. Thin, but robust, zeolite membrane sheets having an inter-grown zeolite crystal film directly on a thin, less than 200 micron thick, porous support sheet free of any surface pores with a size above 10 microns. The zeolite membrane film thickness is less than about 10 microns above the support surface and less than about 5 microns below the support surface. Methods of preparing the membrane are disclosed which include coating of the support sheet surface with a seed coating solution containing the parent zeolite crystals with mean particle sizes from about 0.5 to 2.0 microns at loading of 0.05-0.5 mg/cm2 and subsequent growth of the seeded sheet in a growth reactor loaded with a growth solution over a temperature range of about 45 C. to about 120 C.

A method of obtaining a compound may include adding a substrate to a medium in a reactor, and reacting the substrate in the reactor to form the compound. A first stream is separated from the reaction liquid through a first membrane. A second stream is separated from the reaction liquid through a second membrane. The first membrane is a filtration membrane and the second membrane is configured for liquid-gas or liquid-liquid extraction The first membrane and the second membrane are at least partially immersed in the medium and are moved relative to the reactor during the separation steps.

A dual-pathway system for CO.sub.2 capture in both acidified and basified streams is provided. The system may be embodied in an off-shore stand-alone facility to allow for the operation of oceanic CO.sub.2 capture to be more efficient and cost effective. Systems maintain high environmental standards by containing all intermediate acidic and alkaline solutions in a closed system so that the effluent discharged back into the ocean is at the similar pH and salinity as the feed oceanwater, with only CO.sub.2 removed. Acid and base produced by an electrodialyzer unit is used to achieve oceanwater decarbonization via gaseous CO.sub.2 removal and solid CaCO.sub.3 precipitates removal. The system is configured to require the processing of a very small fraction of the total oceanwater intake for the acid-base generation process.

The present invention relates to a bipolar ion exchange sheet and a manufacturing method therefor, the bipolar ion exchange sheet comprising: a cation exchange film comprising a cation adsorption sheet and a cation exchange coating layer formed on one side of the cation adsorption sheet; and an anion exchange film comprising an anion adsorption sheet and an anion exchange coating layer formed on one side of the anion adsorption sheet, wherein the cation exchange film and the anion exchange film are bonded so that the cation exchange coating layer and the anion exchange coating layer face each other.