Disclosed is an electrochemical reaction cell enhancing a reduction reaction. The electrochemical reaction cell enhancing a reduction reaction comprises: a membrane electrode assembly including a polymer electrolytic membrane, a cathode formed by sequentially stacking a first gas diffusion layer and a first catalyst layer on one surface of the electrolytic membrane, and an anode formed by sequentially stacking a second catalyst layer and a second gas diffusion layer on the other surface of the electrolytic membrane; a first distribution plate stacked on the first catalyst layer to supply a reaction gas and a cathode electrolytic solution dissolved with the reaction gas to the first catalyst layer along separate channels; and a second distribution plate stacked on the second gas diffusion layer to supply an anode electrolytic solution to the second gas diffusion layer.

Electrodes are provided comprising a FeS.sub.2 electrocatalytic material, the FeS.sub.2 electrocatalytic material comprising FeS.sub.2 nanostructures in the form of FeS.sub.2 wires, FeS.sub.2 discs, or both, wherein the FeS.sub.2 wires and the FeS.sub.2 discs are hyperthin having a thickness in the range of from about the thickness of a monolayer of FeS.sub.2 molecules to about 20 nm. The FeS.sub.2 nanostructures may be polycrystalline comprising a non-pyrite majority crystalline phase. The FeS.sub.2 nanostructures may be in the form of FeS.sub.2 discs wherein substantially all the FeS.sub.2 discs have at least partially curved edges.

The present invention relates to a device for bioassisted conversion of carbon dioxide to organic compounds that can be used a fuels and chemicals. The present invention also relates to a bioassisted process of converting carbon dioxide to organic compounds.

Photocatalysts for reduction of carbon dioxide and water are provided that can be tuned to produce certain reaction products, including hydrogen, alcohol, aldehyde, and/or hydrocarbon products. These photocatalysts can form artificial photosystems and can be incorporated into devices that reduce carbon dioxide and water for production of various fuels. Doped wide-bandgap semiconductor nanotubes are provided along with synthesis methods. A variety of optical, electronic and magnetic dopants (substitutional and interstitial, energetically shallow and deep) are incorporated into hollow nanotubes, ranging from a few dopants to heavily-doped semiconductors. The resulting wide-bandgap nanotubes, with desired electronic (p- or n-doped), optical (ultraviolet bandgap to infrared absorption in co-doped nanotubes), and magnetic (from paramagnetic to ferromagnetic) properties, can be used in photovoltaics, display technologies, photocatalysis, and spintronic applications.

An electrochemical reaction device comprises: an electrolytic solution tank including a first region, a second region, and a path; a reduction electrode disposed in the first region; an oxidation electrode disposed in the second region; and a power source connected to the reduction electrode and oxidation electrode; and a plurality of ion exchange membranes separating the first region and the second region.

A flow-through electrolysis cell includes a hierarchical nanoporous metal cathode. A method of reducing CO.sub.2 includes flowing the CO.sub.2 through the hierarchical nanoporous metal cathode of the flow-through electrolysis cell.

In some aspects, the present disclosure provides a method of bioelectric production of organic compounds such as acetate. In further aspects, the present disclosure also provides methods of producing a hydrocarbon based fuel using C02 as the carbon source.

A catalyst layer for an electrochemical device comprises a catalytically active element and an ion conducting polymer. The ion conducting polymer comprises positively charged cyclic amine groups. The ion conducting polymer comprises at least one of an imidazolium, a pyridinium, a pyrazolium, a pyrrolidinium, a pyrrolium, a pyrimidium, a piperidinium, an indolium, a triazinium, and polymers thereof. The catalytically active element comprises at least one of V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Sn, Zr, Nb, Mo, Ru, Rh, Pd, Ag, Cd, Hf, Ta, W, Re, Ir, Pt, Au, Hg, Al, Si, In, Tl, Pb, Bi, Sb, Te, U, Sm, Tb, La, Ce and Nd. In an electrolyzer comprising the present catalyst layer, the feed to the electrolyzer comprises at least one of CO.sub.2 and H.sub.2O.

The present invention provides a semi-conducting biogenic hybrid catalyst capable of reducing CO.sub.2 into fuel precursors. Specifically, the present application involves a method for bio-assisted conversion of CO.sub.2 to fuel precursors using said semiconducting biogenic hybrid catalyst in batch and continuous mode.

A carbon dioxide reduction apparatus comprises a first electrochemical compartment provided with a first electrode, a second electrochemical compartment provided with a second electrode, an ion conducting membrane which demarcates the first electrochemical compartment from the second electrochemical compartment, and a first connecting path which connects the first electrochemical compartment with the second electrochemical compartment. The first electrode contains a first catalyst which catalyzes a reduction of carbon dioxide to a reduced product, and the second electrode contains a second catalyst which catalyzes a reaction between the reduced product and a reactant. The first connecting path is a connecting path which allows the reduced product in the first electrochemical compartment to flow out to the second electrochemical compartment.