The present disclosure is a method and system for the reduction of carbon dioxide. The method may include receiving hydrogen gas at an anolyte region of an electrochemical cell including an anode, the anode including a gas diffusion electrode, receiving an anolyte feed at an anolyte region of the electrochemical cell, and receiving a catholyte feed including carbon dioxide and an alkali metal bicarbonate at a catholyte region of the electrochemical cell including a cathode. The method may include applying an electrical potential between the anode and cathode sufficient to reduce the carbon dioxide to at least one reduction product.

A method for upgrading bio-mass material is provided. The method involves electrolytic reduction of the material in an electrochemical cell having a ceramic, oxygen-ion conducting membrane, where the membrane includes an electrolyte. One or more oxygenated or partially-oxygenated compounds are reduced by applying an electrical potential to the electrochemical cell. A system for upgrading bio-mass material is also disclosed.

An electrode with a conductive substrate and an electrocatalyst comprising zinc oxide and copper oxide supported on a carbon nanomaterial, a method of fabricating the electrode, an electrochemical cell that utilizes the electrode as a working electrode, and a process for producing propanol from CO.sub.2 with the electrochemical cell. Various combinations of embodiments of the electrode and the method of fabricating thereof, the electrochemical cell, and the process for producing propanol from CO.sub.2 is provided.

A photosynthesis apparatus includes a groove part formed in a semiconductor substrate; a first conductive type area formed on one side surface of the groove part; a second conductive type area formed on another side surface of the groove part; an oxidation electrode formed in contact with the first conductive type area on the one side surface; a reduction electrode formed in contact with the second conductive type area on the other side surface; and a proton diaphragm formed at a center part of the groove part. Water including carbon dioxide is supplied to the groove part, and light is radiated to the oxidation electrode or the reduction electrode to generate oxygen and a hydrogen ion from the water at the oxidation electrode, and the generated hydrogen ion penetrates the proton diaphragm and reacts with the carbon dioxide to generate formic acid at the reduction electrode.

Disclosed here is a method of operating a chemical reaction device that includes the steps of determining the presence of surplus power more than a demand, and determining the presence of solar energy.

According to one embodiment, a reduction catalyst includes a current collector including a metal layer; and organic molecules including a quaternary nitrogen cation, which are bonded to the metal layer. The organic molecules are represented by any of the following general formulae I to V. ##STR00001##

A hydrogen desorption method includes a step of bringing a liquid containing an alicyclic saturated hydrocarbon having a tertiary carbon atom bearing a saturated hydrocarbon side chain, a quinone, and an electrolyte into contact with a anode and a step of desorbing hydrogen from the alicyclic saturated hydrocarbon having a tertiary carbon atom bearing a saturated hydrocarbon side chain.

This disclosure provides systems, methods, and apparatus related to solar water splitting. In one aspect, a structure includes a plurality of first nanowires, the plurality of first nanowires comprising an n-type semiconductor or a p-type semiconductor. The structure further includes a second nanowire, the second nanowire comprising the n-type semiconductor or the p-type semiconductor, the second nanowire being a different composition than the plurality of first nanowires. The second nanowire includes a first region and a second region, with the first region having a conductive layer disposed thereon, and each of the plurality of first nanowires being disposed on the conductive layer.

An electrochemical reaction device of an embodiment includes: an electrolytic solution tank; a first electrode in the first room; a second electrode in the second room; and a generator. The electrolytic solution tank includes a first room and a second room. The first room is capable of storing a first electrolytic solution containing a first substance including carbon dioxide. The second room is capable of storing a second electrolytic solution containing a second substance. The first electrode reduces the first substance. The second electrode oxidizes the second substance. The generator is electrically connected to the first and second electrodes. The first electrode includes a conductor having a flow path penetrating through the conductor.

The present disclosure provides a system for electrochemical conversion of carbon dioxide, including: a reduction electrode unit to which carbon dioxide is supplied and including a metal-containing electrode; an oxidation electrode unit including a sacrificial electrode; and an electrolyte unit including an aprotic polar organic solvent and an auxiliary electrolyte, which is in contact with the reduction electrode unit and the oxidation electrode unit, and the carbon dioxide supplied to the reduction electrode unit is electrochemically reduced so as to produce an oxalate salt.