Described herein are systems incorporating a Casimir cavity, such as an optical Casimir cavity or a plasmon Casimir cavity. The Casimir cavity modifies the zero-point energy density therein as compared to outside of the Casimir cavity. The Casimir cavities are paired in the disclosed systems with product generating devices and the difference in zero-point energy densities is used to directly drive the generation of products, such as chemical reaction products or emitted light.

The following describes a reconfigurable set of industrial processing techniques which, when appropriately combined, enable zero-emissions reforming, utilizing a wide range of conventional and unconventional feedstocks. Hydrocarbons, harvested or refuse biomass, as well as assorted byproducts and wastes are reformed through tightly integrated processing. The system is designed to incorporate alternative energy sources such as renewables or nuclear for high-density energy utilization and storage. Central to the processing methodology is a novel molten salt electrochemical reactor designed as a modular system for high-throughput carbochlorination and resource recovery. Such a configuration drastically reduces or eliminates waste while improving efficiency and realizing vast new economic incentives.

An object of the present invention is to provide a photocatalytic electrode for water splitting and a water splitting device excellent in the onset potential. The water splitting device of the present invention is a water splitting device which generates gases from a photocatalytic electrode for hydrogen generation and a photocatalytic electrode for oxygen generation by irradiating the photocatalytic electrode for hydrogen generation and the photocatalytic electrode for oxygen generation with light, and includes a bath to be filled with an electrolytic aqueous solution and the photocatalytic electrode for hydrogen generation and the photocatalytic electrode for oxygen generation each disposed in the bath. The photocatalytic electrode for hydrogen generation has a p-type semiconductor layer, an n-type semiconductor layer provided on the p-type semiconductor layer, and a co-catalyst provided on the n-type semiconductor layer. The p-type semiconductor layer is a semiconductor layer containing a CIGS compound semiconductor containing Cu, In, Ga, and Se, and a molar ratio of Ga to a total molar amount of Ga and In in the CIGS compound semiconductor is 0.4 to 0.8.

The embodiments of the present invention relate to a hydrogen water dispenser unit and a refrigerator having the same, in which a hydrogen water generator disposed inside the refrigerator provides hydrogen water, as well as normal water, according to user preference.

A control system of chlorinated brine generator with descaling device includes an electrolysis cell and a controller unit. The electrolysis cell includes a cover, a chlorinated brine generator, and a descaling device. The cover includes an inlet and an outlet, wherein a waterway is defined between the inlet and the outlet. The chlorinated brine generator is arranged in the waterway, and includes a plurality of electrode plates. The descaling device is arranged adjacent to the chlorinated brine generator and in the waterway, and includes an ultrasonic vibrating equipment. The ultrasonic vibrating equipment includes a vibrator. The controller unit includes an electrolysis-and-power controlling module, an ultrasonic generating module, and a main controlling module. The electrolysis-and-power controlling module controls the chlorinated brine generator. The ultrasonic generating module controls the descaling device. The main controlling module controls the electrolysis-and-power controlling module and the ultrasonic generating module, and save a descaling schedule.

The present invention relates to the production of graphene from CO.sub.2 through electrolysis and exfoliation processes. One embodiment is a method for producing graphene comprising (i) performing electrolysis between an electrolysis anode and an electrolysis cathode in a molten carbonate electrolyte to generate carbon nanomaterial on the cathode, and (ii) electrochemically exfoliating the carbon nanomaterial from a second anode to produce graphene. The exfoliating step produces graphene in high yield than thicker, conventional graphite exfoliation reactions. CO.sub.2 can be the sole reactant used to produce the valuable product as graphene. This can incentivize utilization of CO.sub.2, and unlike alternative products made from CO.sub.2 such as carbon monoxide or other fuels such as methane, use of the graphene product does not release this greenhouse gas back into the atmosphere.

A water treatment system is disclosed having electrolytic cell for liberating hydrogen from a base solution. The base solution may be a solution of brine for generating sodium hypochlorite, or potable water to be oxidized. The cell has first and second opposing electrode end plates held apart from each other by a pair of supports such that the supports enclose opposing sides of the end plates to form a cell chamber. One or more inner electrode plates are spaced apart from each other in the cell chamber in between the first and second electrode plates. The supports are configured to electrically isolate the first and second electrode plates and the inner electrode plates from each other. The first and second electrode plates are configured to receive opposite polarity charges that passively charge the inner electrode plates via conduction from the base solution to form a chemical reaction in the base solution as the base solution passes through the cell chamber.

An electrochemical cell includes a pair of bipolar plates and a membrane electrode assembly between the bipolar plates. The membrane electrode assembly comprises an anode compartment, a cathode compartment, and a proton exchange membrane disposed therebetween. The cell further includes a sealing surface formed in one of the pair of bipolar plates and a gasket located between the sealing surface and the proton exchange membrane. The gasket is configured to plastically deform to create a seal about one of the cathode compartment or the anode compartment. The sealing surface can include one or more protrusions.

According to one embodiment, a photochemical reaction system comprises a CO.sub.2 production unit, a CO.sub.2 absorption unit, and a CO.sub.2 reduction unit. The CO.sub.2 reduction unit comprises a laminated body and an ion transfer pathway. The laminated body comprises an oxidation catalyst layer producing O.sub.2 and H.sup.+ by oxidizing H.sub.2O, a reduction catalyst layer producing carbon compounds by reducing CO.sub.2 absorbed by the CO.sub.2 absorption unit, and a semiconductor layer formed between the oxidation catalyst layer and the reduction catalyst layer and develops charge separation with light energy. The ion transfer pathways make ions move between the oxidation catalyst layer side and the reduction catalyst layer side.

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.