The disclosure provides in its first aspect a catalyst system for gas-phase electrolysis of a reactant gas to form a product in an aqueous medium, the catalyst system comprising a catalytic material; an ion-conducting polymer layer provided on the catalytic material and comprising an ion-conducting polymer that includes hydrophilic and hydrophobic groups. Said catalyst system is remarkable in that the ion-conducting polymer layer has a thickness of 2 nm to 50 nm measured by transmission-electron microscopy. In its second aspect, the disclosure provides a method of manufacturing a catalyst system for gas-phase electrolysis of reactant gas to produce a product in an aqueous medium preferably according to the first aspect. The use of the catalyst system in accordance with the first aspect in the electrochemical production of at least one multi-carbon compound from a carbon-containing gas or of at least one product from a reactant gas is also disclosed.

A device for performing electrolysis of water is disclosed. The device comprising: a semiconductor structure comprising a surface and an electron guiding layer below said surface, the electron guiding layer of the semiconductor structure being configured to guide electron movement in a plane parallel to the surface, the electron guiding layer of the semiconductor structure comprising an InGaN quantum well or a heterojunction, the heterojunction being a junction between AlN material and GaN material or between AlGaN material and GaN material; at least one metal cathode arranged on the surface of the semiconductor structure; and at least one photoanode arranged on the surface of the semiconductor structure, wherein the at least one photoanode comprises a plurality of quantum dots of In.sub.xGa.sub.(1−x)N material, wherein 0.4≤x≤1. A system comprising such device is also disclosed.

The invention relates to an apparatus for the electrochemical production of hydrogen gas from salt water, the apparatus comprising at least one cathode; at least one anode spaced apart from the cathode by a defined distance and connectors for electrically connecting the electrodes to a pulsating DC power supply; wherein the cathode comprises a paramagnetic material and the anode comprises a diamagnetic material. The invention also relates to an environmentally-friendly method for the production of hydrogen gas from sea water.

The invention relates to an apparatus for the electrochemical production of hydrogen gas from salt water, the apparatus comprising at least one cathode; at least one anode spaced apart from the cathode by a defined distance and connectors for electrically connecting the electrodes to a pulsating DC power supply; wherein the cathode comprises a paramagnetic material and the anode comprises a diamagnetic material. The invention also relates to an environmentally-friendly method for the production of hydrogen gas from sea water.

An electrolytic cell includes a liquid metal cathode, an anode, and a molten salt electrolyte in contact with the liquid metal cathode and the anode. The molten salt electrolyte includes carbonate ions, and the electrolytic cell is configured to reduce the carbonate ions at the surface of the cathode or in the vicinity of the cathode to yield a carbon material and oxide ions. Producing a carbon material in the electrolytic cell includes providing carbonate ions to the electrolytic cell, reducing the carbonate ions at the liquid metal cathode to yield the carbon material, and removing the carbon material from the electrolytic cell.

An electrolytic cell includes a liquid metal cathode, an anode, and a molten salt electrolyte in contact with the liquid metal cathode and the anode. The molten salt electrolyte includes carbonate ions, and the electrolytic cell is configured to reduce the carbonate ions at the surface of the cathode or in the vicinity of the cathode to yield a carbon material and oxide ions. Producing a carbon material in the electrolytic cell includes providing carbonate ions to the electrolytic cell, reducing the carbonate ions at the liquid metal cathode to yield the carbon material, and removing the carbon material from the electrolytic cell.

There is disclosed a process for synthesis of a C2-8 alkane comprising: (a) providing an electrolyte formulation comprising from about 3N to about 6N C2-C5 carboxylic acid and from about 2 M to about 4 M alkali C2-C5 carboxylate, wherein the C2-C5 carboxylate and carboxylic acid have the same carbon alkyl length into a pressure vessel having an electrode cell or stack; (b) adding electrical current to the electrode cell or stack; (c) pressurizing the pressure vessel; and (d) recovering a gas stream from the pressure vessel comprising a C2-8 alkane, CO.sub.2 and H.sub.2. Preferably, the carboxylic acid is acetic acid and the alkane is ethane.

There is disclosed a process for synthesis of a C2-8 alkane comprising: (a) providing an electrolyte formulation comprising from about 3N to about 6N C2-C5 carboxylic acid and from about 2 M to about 4 M alkali C2-C5 carboxylate, wherein the C2-C5 carboxylate and carboxylic acid have the same carbon alkyl length into a pressure vessel having an electrode cell or stack; (b) adding electrical current to the electrode cell or stack; (c) pressurizing the pressure vessel; and (d) recovering a gas stream from the pressure vessel comprising a C2-8 alkane, CO.sub.2 and H.sub.2. Preferably, the carboxylic acid is acetic acid and the alkane is ethane.

The embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a method, system and composition producing a magnetic carbon nanomaterial product that may comprise carbon nanotubes (CNTs) at least some of which are magnetic CNTs (mCNTs). The method and apparatus employ carbon dioxide (CO.sub.2) as a reactant in an electrolysis reaction in order to make mCNTs. In some embodiments of the present disclosure, a magnetic additive component is included as a reactant in the method and as a portion of one or more components in the system or composition to facilitate a magnetic material addition process, a carbide nucleation process or both during the electrosynthesis reaction for making magnetic carbon nanomaterials.

Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a process for making a carbanogel buckypaper product. Such carbanogel buckypaper product may be imparted with enhanced properties as compared to other buckypaper products. In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the carbanogel can be generated by an electrolysis process that can transform a carbon-containing gas into a carbon nanomaterial.