Electrochemical devices, such as membrane electrode assemblies and electrochemical reactors, are described herein, as well as and methods for the conversion of reactants such as carbon dioxide to value-added products such as ethanol. In certain aspects, the membrane electrode assemblies are configured to allow for distributed pressure along the cathodic side of a membrane electrode assembly is described. The pressure vessel acts as a cathode chamber, both for the feed of reactant carbon dioxide as well as collection of products. The designs described herein improves the safety of high pressure electrochemical carbon dioxide reduction and allows for varied pressures to be used, in order to optimize reaction conditions. Configurations optimized for producing preferred products, such as ethanol, are also described.

An electrochemical reactor for use with a liquid electrolyte is capable of generating gaseous products. An electrically conducting porous layer that is hydrophilic on the catalyst side and hydrophobic on the gas side are utilized. These different surface properties promote the transport of product gases formed at the catalyst through the porous layer to the gas side. The catalyst is formed from a hybrid Cu.sub.2OCuBr film that has a high selectivity for ethylene gas from reacting CO.sub.2 and water in an electrochemical cell.

Various embodiments include a method for continuous operation of an electrolysis cell with a gaseous substrate, the method comprising: supplying an electrolyte to the electrolysis cell via an electrolyte feed; flowing the electrolyte out of the electrolysis cell into the gas space through a gas diffusion electrode; collecting the electrolyte from the electrolyte flow into the gas space in a collecting region in the gas space; and sucking the collected electrolyte out of said gas space via a connection between the gas space and electrolyte feed.

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.

An electrocatalytic device for carbon dioxide conversion includes an electrochemical stack comprising a series of cells with a cathode with a Catalytically Active Element metal in the form of supported or unsupported particles or flakes with an average size between 0.6 nm and 100 nm. The reaction products comprise at least one of CO, HCO.sup., H.sub.2CO, (HCOO).sup., HCOOH, CH.sub.3OH, CH.sub.4, C.sub.2H.sub.4, CH.sub.3CH.sub.2OH, CH.sub.3COO.sup., CH.sub.3COOH, C.sub.2H.sub.6, (COOH).sub.2, (COO.sup.).sub.2, and CF.sub.3COOH.

According to one embodiment of a CO.sub.2 reduction catalyst of the present invention, a conductive material is immersed in an aqueous solution containing a gold source, and a current or a potential is applied, whereby a highly active CO.sub.2 reduction catalyst can be formed in a wide range portion on a surface of the conductive material. According to one embodiment of a CO.sub.2 reduction catalyst of the present invention, in a CO.sub.2 reduction reaction apparatus including a CO.sub.2 reduction electrode having the CO.sub.2 reduction catalyst, CO.sub.2 is reduced.

Disclosed herein are methods and devices for performing electrochemical reduction of disulfide and related bonds in biochemical compositions such as proteins for improved bioconjugation reactions.

A hydrocarbon generation system that combines a solid oxide electrolysis cell (SOEC) and a Fischer-Tropsch unit in a single microtubular reactor is described. This system can directly synthesize hydrocarbons from carbon dioxide and water. High temperature co-electrolysis of H.sub.2O and CO.sub.2 and low temperature Fischer-Tropsch (F-T) process are integrated in a single microtubular reactor by designation of a temperature gradient along the axial length of the microtubular reactor. The microtubular reactor can provide direct conversion of CO.sub.2 to hydrocarbons for use as feedstock or energy storage.

It is provided a process for the preparation of methyl ethyl ketone by electroreduction of acetoin in aqueous media using a high hydrogen overvoltage cathode made of lead, the process comprising the steps of a) forming a solution by mixing acetoin with an aqueous medium and a supporting electrolyte soluble in such a medium, and b) electrolyzing said solution continuously or discontinuously in an electrochemical reactor by applying a voltage between an anode and the cathode using a direct current power supply at a current density from 500 to 5000 A/m2.

A method of electrochemically reducing CO.sub.2 to form at least one alcohol, preferably ethanol. The method includes (a) contacting an electrode system with an aqueous solution comprising at least one electrolyte and CO.sub.2, wherein the electrode system comprises a working electrode, a counter electrode, and a reference electrode, wherein the working electrode comprises a base electrode and a coating of a composite comprising graphene nanosheets and Cu.sub.2O nanoparticles disposed on a surface of the base electrode, and (b) applying a negative potential to the working electrode to reduce the CO.sub.2 and form the at least one alcohol.