A mixed conducting ceramic element comprises a plurality of tubes each having interior and exterior surfaces, a closed end and an open end. A tube support member receives the open ends of the tubes. The ceramic element has a general composition of A.sub.xA′.sub.x′A″.sub.x″B.sub.yB′.sub.y′B″.sub.y″O.sub.3-z, where A, A′ and A″ are selected from Group II elements or the Lanthanoids, and B, B′ and B″ are selected from the d-block transition metals, and wherein 0<x≦1, 0<x′≦1, 0<x″≦1, 0<y≦1, 0<y′≦1, 0<y″≦1, x+x′+x″≈1, y+y′+y″≈1, and z is selected so that the resultant composition is charge neutral. The ceramic element can be a composite consisting of two or more component materials, wherein one component is predominantly an electronic conductor and another is predominantly an ionic conductor. The ceramic element may also be a composite material containing at least one component material having a chemical composition of A.sub.xA′.sub.x′A″.sub.x″B.sub.yB′.sub.y′B″.sub.y″O.sub.3-z.

Embodiments include a method for converting renewable energy source electricity and a hydrocarbon feedstock into a liquid fuel by providing a source of renewable electrical energy in communication with a synthesis gas generation unit and an air separation unit. Oxygen from the air separation unit and a hydrocarbon feedstock is provided to the synthesis gas generation unit, thereby causing partial oxidation reactions in the synthesis gas generation unit in a process that converts the hydrocarbon feedstock into synthesis gas. The synthesis gas is then converted into a liquid fuel.

Photocatalytic device to dissociate an aqueous phase to product hydrogen gas, said device being set up in such a way that at least one photocatalytic system in contact with said aqueous phase can be irradiated by a light source to produce—through an oxidation reaction in said aqueous phase—oxygen gas, electrons and protons at a means of electron capture, said device comprising: a first zone comprising said aqueous phase, and a means for reducing said protons set up to carry out a reduction reaction on said protons by said electrons in order to generate hydrogen gas.
said device being characterised in that said means for proton reduction is a proton exchange interface with a front side facing said means of electron capture, and a back side, with only said back side of said proton exchange interface bearing at least one catalyst and/or at least one catalytic system.

A composite oxygen ion transport membrane having a dense layer, a porous support layer, an optional intermediate porous layer located between the porous support layer and the dense layer and an optional surface exchange layer, overlying the dense layer. The dense layer has electronic and ionic phases. The ionic phase is composed of scandia doped, yttrium or cerium stabilized zirconia. The electronic phase is composed of a metallic oxide containing lanthanum, strontium, chromium, iron and cobalt. The porous support layer is composed of zirconia partially stabilized with yttrium, scandium, aluminum or cerium or mixtures thereof. The intermediate porous layer, if used, contains the same ionic and electronic phases as the dense layer. The surface exchange layer is formed of an electronic phase of a metallic oxide of lanthanum and strontium that also contains chromium, iron and cobalt and an ionic phase of scandia doped zirconia stabilized with yttrium or cerium.

A photocatalytic composition is disclosed that includes a silver halide in combination with one or more rare earth elements. The composition may be used for the photocatalytic degradation of pollutants.

The invention relates to a device (1) for producing oxygen by means of a chemical reaction, in particular by means of an exothermic chemical reaction, wherein the device (1) comprises a chemical core (2), in which a substance producing oxygen by way of chemical reaction is present, and the chemical core (2) comprises a first reaction body (3) and a second reaction body (4) which are arranged in a manner such that they can be simultaneously activated, so that a first reaction front (13) propagates in the first reaction body (3) and simultaneously a second reaction front (14) propagates in the second reaction body (4).

Nanostructured arrays having a metal catalyst (e.g., cobalt) are irradiated with light to initiate the an artificial photosynthetic reaction resulting in the formation of carbon-containing molecules, for example, long chained hydrocarbons or amino acids. A nanostructure having one or more structural elements having a high aspect ratio can formed over a substrate and are placed in contact with water and a carbon-containing source (e.g., carbon dioxide, bicarbonate, methane). When the nanostructure is exposed to light, the water and the carbon-containing source can react to form a molecule having at least two carbon atoms chained together. Structural elements may include a number of metal layers arranged in a patterned configuration so that, upon light irradiation, a greater amount of light energy is concentrated in close proximity to the region where the reaction is catalyzed than for the case without the patterned configuration.

A composition having: titania aerogel having titania nanoparticles and copper nanoparticles. Each of the copper nanoparticles is in contact with more than one of the titania nanoparticles. A method of: providing a titania aerogel, and forming or depositing copper nanoparticles onto the surface of the titania aerogel.

The invention relates to a commercially viable modular ceramic oxygen transport membrane system for utilizing heat generated in reactively-driven oxygen transport membrane tubes to generate steam, heat process fluid and/or provide energy to carry out endothermic chemical reactions. The system provides for improved thermal coupling of oxygen transport membrane tubes to steam generation tubes or process heater tubes or reactor tubes for efficient and effective radiant heat transfer.

A photocatalyst and a method for producing hydrogen and oxygen from water by photocatalytic electrolysis are disclosed. The photocatalyst includes a photoactive material and metal or metal alloy material (15)—e.g. pure particles or alloys of Au, Pd and Ag—capable of having plasmon resonance properties deposited on the surface of the photoactive material. The photoactive material includes a p-n junction (17) formed by contact of a n-type semiconductor material (10), such as mixed phase TiO2 nano particles (anatase to rutile ratio of 1.5 to 1 or greater), and a p-type semiconductor material (16), such as CoO or Cu2O.