A separator plate for an electrochemical system may have at least one passage opening for forming a media channel for feeding or discharging media. The system may also have at least one bead arrangement arranged around the at least one passage opening, for the purpose of sealing the passage opening. At least one of the flanks of the bead arrangement may have at least one opening for conducting a medium through the bead flank. The system may also have at least one guide channel that is connected, on an exterior of the bead arrangement, to the openings in the bead flank and is fluidically connected to a bead interior via the opening in the bead flank. The guide channel is designed such that a guide channel width, determined parallel to the flat surface plane of the separator plate, increases at least in some sections in the direction of the bead arrangement.

A device and process for the separate removal of oppositely charged ions from electrolyte solutions and recombining them to form new chemical compositions. The invention provides the ability to create multiple ion flow channels and then form new chemical compositions therefrom. The process is accomplished by selectively combining oppositely charged ions of choice from different electrolyte solutions via the capacitive behavior of high electrical capacitance electrodes confined in insulated containers. Industrial plants employing the inventive process can have the flexibility to produce needed industrial chemical compounds such as Soda Ash, Caustic Soda, hydrochloric acid and chlorine gas, based on market demand, and can be located near points of consumption to significantly reduce transportation costs.

Some variations provide an alkali metal or alkaline earth metal atom source (e.g., vapor cell) with a solid ionic conductor and a mixed ion-electron conductor electrode. Mixed ion-electron conductor electrodes are used as efficient sources and/or as sinks for alkali metal or alkaline earth metal atoms, thus enabling electrical control over metal atom content in the vapor cell. Some variations provide a vapor-cell system comprising: a vapor-cell region configured to allow a vapor-cell optical path into a vapor-cell vapor phase; a first electrode containing an mixed ion-electron conductor that is conductive for an ion of at least one element selected from Rb, Cs, Na, K, or Sr; a second electrode electrically isolated from the first electrode; and an ion-conducting layer between the first electrode and the second electrode. The ion-conducting layer is ionically conductive for at least one ionic species selected from Rb.sup.+, Cs.sup.+, Na.sup.+, K.sup.+, or Sr.sup.2+.

An electrochemical device is provided that includes a stack of a plurality of electrochemical units that succeed one another in a stacking direction and each include an electrochemically active membrane electrode assembly, at least one gas diffusion layer and a bipolar plate having at least one flow field, in which at least one flow field is sealed off simply and reliably and the occurrence of parasitic flows is prevented, wherein at least one bipolar plate has at least one edge web, which borders a flow field of the bipolar plate and is in contact with a gas diffusion layer adjacent to the bipolar plate, and wherein the electrochemical device further includes at least one flow field seal element that seals off the flow field bordered by the edge web and is in contact with the edge web and in contact with the gas diffusion layer.

A differential pressure type high pressure water electrolysis apparatus has a flow passage forming member for supplying water to an anode. In the flow passage forming member, there are formed a water receiving section for receiving water supplied from the exterior, a distributing path for distributing the water that has flowed into the water receiving section, a converging path into which a surplus supplied amount of water flows, and a water discharging section for receiving the water inside the converging path and discharging it to the exterior. The positions of the distributing path and the converging path are offset from an opposing position where a seal member faces toward a pressure resistant member that surrounds the seal member from the exterior.

An electrochemical reduction device includes an electrode unit, a power control unit, an organic material storage tank, a concentration measurement unit, a water storage tank, a gas-water separation unit, and a control unit. The electrode unit includes an electrolyte membrane, a reduction electrode, and an oxygen evolving electrode. The control unit controls the power control unit so as to satisfy a relation of V.sub.HERV.sub.allowV.sub.CAV.sub.TRR when the potential at a reversible hydrogen electrode, the standard redox potential of the aromatic compound, and the potential of the reduction electrode are expressed as V.sub.HER, V.sub.TRR, and V.sub.CA, respectively. V.sub.allow is adjusted according to the concentration of the aromatic compound measured by the concentration measurement unit.

A wipe that can be used deodorize, disinfect, and/or sterilize an object. A wipe manipulator may be used with a wipe to create, energize, or enhance one or more treatment agent in a wipe to improve its efficacy. Desirably, a wipe manipulator is flexible to accommodate to curved surfaces. A wipe includes a flexible membrane or cloth-like element that may apply, distribute, and/or remove a treatment agent to, over, or from a surface of the object. An enhanced treatment agent, such as peracetic acid, may be applied to the surface subsequent to being formed in the wipe as a result of installation of the wipe onto a manipulator, or otherwise activating the wipe. A wipe manipulator may include one or more rechargeable reservoir to contain and apply a synergistic treatment agent to the wipe to create the enhanced treatment agent.

An electrolytic cell for generating hydrogen through the electrolysis of water, including an anodic compartment and a cathodic compartment separated by a solid polymeric electrolyte alkaline membrane. The anodic compartment includes a positive electrode or anode at least partially submerged in a layer of water, and the cathodic compartment includes a negative electrode or cathode. The cell is arranged between a first closing plate and a second closing plate. A tie-rod, provided in the central portion of the first closing plate, passes through the first closing plate, the cell and the second closing plate. A central collector for conveying the hydrogen generated in the cathodic compartment is arranged coaxially to the tie-rod and is in communication with the cathodic compartment through an opening formed in the tie-rod.

To provide a production method whereby an ion exchange membrane for alkali chloride electrolysis can be obtained which has high current efficiency, little variation in current efficiency and high alkaline resistance. This is a method for producing an ion exchange membrane 1 having a layer (C) 12 containing a fluorinated polymer (A) having carboxylic acid type functional groups, by immersing an ion exchange membrane precursor film having a precursor layer (C) containing a fluorinated polymer (A) having groups convertible to carboxylic acid type functional groups, in an aqueous alkaline solution comprising an alkali metal hydroxide, a water-soluble organic solvent and water, and converting the groups convertible to carboxylic acid type functional groups to carboxylic acid functional groups, wherein the concentration of the water-soluble organic solvent is from 1 to 60 mass % in the aqueous alkaline solution (100 mass %); the temperature of the aqueous alkaline solution is at least 40 C. and less than 80 C.; and the proportion of structural units having carboxylic acid type functional groups in the fluorinated polymer (A) is from 13.0 to 14.50 mol % in all structural units (100 mol %) in the fluorinated polymer (A).

Various embodiments herein relate to methods and apparatus for electroplating material onto a semiconductor substrate. The apparatus includes an ionically resistive element that separates the plating chamber into a cross flow manifold (above the ionically resistive element) and an ionically resistive element manifold (below the ionically resistive element). Electrolyte is delivered to the cross flow manifold, where it shears over the surface of the substrate, and to the ionically resistive element manifold, where it passes through through-holes in the ionically resistive element to impinge upon the substrate as it enters the cross flow manifold. In certain embodiments, the flow of electrolyte into the cross flow manifold (e.g., through a side inlet) and the flow of electrolyte into the ionically resistive element manifold are actively controlled, e.g., using a three-way valve. In these or other cases, the ionically resistive element may include electrolyte jets.