Iron-containing mixed-phase metal oxides are described. The mixed-phase metal oxides can exhibit electrocatalytic and/or photo-electrocatalytic activity towards reducing reactions, such as the reduction of carbon dioxide.

A process is provided for electrochemical reduction, particularly the electrochemical reduction of carbon dioxide to formate. According one embodiment, an electrochemical process includes the electrochemical reduction of carbon dioxide to formate utilizing periodic pulsed anodic polarization, periodic pulsed deep cathodic polarization, or combinations thereof to remove cathodic deposits. Various polarization techniques are disclosed which improve overall Faradaic Efficiency.

To provide an electrolysis cell for producing an organic chemical hydride capable of advancing a reduction reaction in a cathode of an organic compound having an unsaturated bond with high current efficiency and a small electric power consumption unit.

An electrolysis cell 10 for producing an organic chemical hydride includes a solid polymer electrolyte film 11 which has proton conductivity; a cathode 12 which is provided on one surface of the solid polymer electrolyte film 11 and generates a hydride by reducing a substance to be hydrogenated; a cathode chamber 13 which accommodates the cathode 12 and to which the substance to be hydrogenated is supplied; an electrode catalyst-containing anode 14 which is provided on another surface of the solid polymer electrolyte film 11 and generates a proton by oxidizing water; and an anode chamber 15 which accommodates the anode 14 and to which an electrolytic solution is supplied, in which at least one of a surface of the cathode 12 side and a surface of the anode 14 side of the solid polymer electrolyte film 11 is hydrophilized.

The invention relates to a method for preparing a hydrocarbon by reducing CO.sub.2, wherein CO.sub.2 is reduced to a hydrocarbon with the aid of a directly heated electrode. A device for carrying out a corresponding method, a corresponding power plant and a system comprising said power plant and a vehicle with a combustion engine are also objects of the invention. The method and device may, e.g., be used as a micro-energy system for decentralized energy supply.

An electrochemical reaction device includes: an electrolytic solution tank including a first storage part to store a first electrolytic solution, and a second storage part to store a second electrolytic solution; a reduction electrode disposed in the first storage part and having a first surface; an oxidation electrode disposed in the second storage part and having a second surface; and a generator connected to the reduction and oxidation electrodes. A region in the first storage part between the first surface and an inner wall of the first storage part is an electrolytic solution flow path. The electrolytic solution flow path has a maximum part and a minimum part.

A electrochemical reaction device of an embodiment includes: an electrolytic tank storing an electrolytic solution containing water; a fine bubble supply part which supplies fine bubbles containing carbon dioxide into the electrolytic solution; a reduction electrode which is immersed in the electrolytic solution and reduces the carbon dioxide to generate a carbon compound; an oxidation electrode which is immersed in the electrolytic solution and oxidizes the water to generate oxygen; and a photoelectric conversion body electrically connected to the reduction electrode and the oxidation electrode. The fine bubbles have a floating velocity of 10 mm/s or less in the electrolytic solution under an atmospheric pressure and 20° C. condition.

In the manufacture of phosphoric acid from ore, the typical ore comprises minerals containing phosphorus and calcium along with varied amounts of other elements. Certain ores have substantial iron content which needs to be removed in order to produce quality phosphoric acid product. An improved method and associated chemical processing plant are disclosed for removing this iron. The method involves both reducing and adding oxalic acid to wet process phosphoric acid produced using an otherwise conventional manufacturing process. Iron oxalate precipitate is created which can then conveniently be separated therefrom.

Provided is a photoelectrochemical electrode for carbon dioxide conversion. The photoelectrochemical electrode includes a conducting substrate and CuFeO.sub.2/CuO as a p-type copper-iron composite oxide electrodeposited on the conducting substrate. Upon irradiation, the photoelectrochemical electrode generates electrons and converts carbon dioxide to formate with a selectivity of 90 to 99%. Also disclosed is a photoelectrochemical device including the photoelectrochemical electrode.

An anode for oxygen evolution that operates at a small overpotential and in a stable manner, and can be used favorably in an organic chemical hydride electrolytic synthesis apparatus.

An anode 10 for oxygen evolution that evolves oxygen in a sulfuric acid aqueous solution containing a substance to be hydrogenated dissolved at a concentration higher than 1 mg/L, wherein an anode substrate 10a is composed of a valve metal, and an anode catalyst layer 10b containing at least one oxide, nitride or carbide of iridium, and at least one oxide, nitride or carbide of at least one metal selected from the group consisting of elements belonging to groups 4, 5 and 13 of the periodic table is formed on the surface of the anode substrate 10a.

A platform technology that uses a novel membrane electrode assembly, including a cathode layer, an anode layer, a membrane layer arranged between the cathode layer and the anode layer, the membrane conductively connecting the cathode layer and the anode layer, in a CO.sub.x reduction reactor has been developed. The reactor can be used to synthesize a broad range of carbon-based compounds from carbon dioxide and other gases containing carbon.