The invention provides a method of storing varying or intermittent electrical energy and one or more of hydrogen (H.sub.2) and oxygen (O.sub.2) with an energy apparatus, the method comprising: providing the first cell aqueous liquid, the second cell aqueous liquid, and electrical power from an external power source to the functional unit thereby providing an electrically charged functional battery unit and one or more of hydrogen (H.sub.2) and oxygen (O.sub.2) stored in said storage system, wherein during at least part of a charging time the functional unit is charged at a potential difference between the first cell electrode and the second cell electrode of more than 1.37 V.

An alkaline electrolyser device for hydrogen production includes a first and a second electric charge battery substantially identical. Each electric charge battery has a first electrode of copper, silver or their alloys, coated with zinc, a second electrode with a ferrous catalyst, and an alkaline aqueous solution in which the first and second electrodes are immersed. An output opening placed in correspondence of the second electrode is suitable to allow the escape from the battery of gases which develop in correspondence of the second electrode. The batteries are short-circuited with an electric power supply member placed between the first or the second electrodes, with a predefined polarity such that the voltage across the electrodes is higher than 1.3 V. In this configuration, the first battery undergoes a discharging process producing hydrogen gas, whilst, contextually, the second battery undergoes a charging process generating oxygen gas. When the discharge cycle of the first battery is completed, the polarity of the electric power supply is inverted, so that the second battery begins to discharge producing hydrogen gas and, at the same time, the first battery recharges producing oxygen gas. The polarity inversion is repeated cyclically so that oxygen and hydrogen are produced alternately in the two batteries.

The present invention relates to a process for enhancing the catalytic efficiency of a catalyst for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER), comprising exposing the catalyst to an external magnetic field of between 65×10−6 mT and ≤200 mT during the oxygen evolution reaction, wherein the catalyst is a material which exhibits an increased Berry phase induced by the exposure of the catalyst to the external magnetic field.

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.

Disclosed is an electrolyte membrane including an antioxidant containing elemental sulfur or a sulfur compound to improve antioxidant activity and resistance to acids. In addition, a membrane-electrode assembly including the electrolyte membrane is disclosed.

Disclosed is an electrolyte membrane including an antioxidant containing elemental sulfur or a sulfur compound to improve antioxidant activity and resistance to acids. In addition, a membrane-electrode assembly including the electrolyte membrane is disclosed.

This invention provides an anisotropic nanostructure represented by the formula:
Ru.sub.xM.sub.1-x,
wherein 0.6≤x≤0.999, and M represents at least one member selected from the group consisting of Ir, Rh, Pt, Pd, and Au, and wherein Ru and M form a solid solution at the atomic level, and the anisotropic nanostructure has an anisotropic hexagonal close-packed structure (hcp).

This invention provides an anisotropic nanostructure represented by the formula:
Ru.sub.xM.sub.1-x,
wherein 0.6≤x≤0.999, and M represents at least one member selected from the group consisting of Ir, Rh, Pt, Pd, and Au, and wherein Ru and M form a solid solution at the atomic level, and the anisotropic nanostructure has an anisotropic hexagonal close-packed structure (hcp).

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.

Herein discussed is a method of producing hydrogen comprising introducing a metal smelter effluent gas or a basic oxygen furnace (BOF) effluent gas or a mixture thereof into an electrochemical (EC) reactor, wherein the EC reactor comprises a mixed-conducting membrane. In an embodiment, the method comprises introducing steam into the EC reactor on one side of the membrane, wherein the effluent gas is on the opposite side of the membrane, wherein the effluent gas and the steam are separated by the membrane and do not come in contact with each other.