Described herein are techniques for converting carbonate in a carbonate loaded solution into syngas or C2+ products within an electrolysis cell that includes a cathodic compartment, an anodic compartment and preferably a bipolar membrane separating the compartments. The carbonate ions are converted in situ by reaction with protons generated by the bipolar membrane to produce CO.sub.2 that is in turn electrocatalytically converted into the product. The electrolysis cell can be coupled to an air or flue gas capture system that produces the carbonate loaded solution, and the depleted solution released by the electrolysis cell can be recycled back into the capture system and the feed of the electrolysis cell. The cathode can include a porous substrate that is hydrophilic, and a catalyst metal deposited on the substrate can be Cu, Ag or an alloy depending on the target product.

According to one embodiment, an electrolytic cell includes: a housing for retaining an electrolytic solution; a diaphragm that partitions an interior of the housing into an anode-side cell and a cathode-side cell; an anode electrode that is provided in the anode-side cell and has most of a surface in contact with an anode-side gas phase; and a cathode electrode that is provided in the cathode-side cell and has most of a surface in contact with a cathode-side gas phase. According to the other embodiment, a hydrogen production apparatus according to the present embodiment includes: an electrolytic solution tank that retains an electrolytic solution; and a pump that supplies the electrolytic solution between the anode electrode and the cathode electrode from the electrolytic solution tank.

According to one embodiment, an electrolytic cell includes: a housing for retaining an electrolytic solution; a diaphragm that partitions an interior of the housing into an anode-side cell and a cathode-side cell; an anode electrode that is provided in the anode-side cell and has most of a surface in contact with an anode-side gas phase; and a cathode electrode that is provided in the cathode-side cell and has most of a surface in contact with a cathode-side gas phase. According to the other embodiment, a hydrogen production apparatus according to the present embodiment includes: an electrolytic solution tank that retains an electrolytic solution; and a pump that supplies the electrolytic solution between the anode electrode and the cathode electrode from the electrolytic solution tank.

The present disclosure relates to an acid-base polymer blend membrane comprising at least one first polymer exhibiting acidic groups (A) and at least one second polymer exhibiting basic groups (B), wherein the molar ratio of acidic groups A / basic groups B in the acid-base polymer blend membrane is at least 1 / 0.25. Furthermore, the present disclosure relates to a cell membrane comprising a support structure and an acid-base polymer blend membrane, wherein the acid-base polymer blend membrane is impregnated on the support structure. Said cell membrane can be used in an electrodialysis cell, in a fuel cell, in a PEM electrolyzer, or in a redox flow battery, preferably in a redox flow battery.

A bipolar membrane comprising a first member comprising at least one anion exchange material; a second member comprising at least one cation exchange material, wherein the first member and the second member together form an interface junction; and disposed within the interface junction a solitary layer comprising a composite water dissociation catalyst or a composite water recombination catalyst.

A bipolar membrane comprising a first member comprising at least one anion exchange material; a second member comprising at least one cation exchange material, wherein the first member and the second member together form an interface junction; and disposed within the interface junction a solitary layer comprising a composite water dissociation catalyst or a composite water recombination catalyst.

A single fuel cell according to the present disclosure includes a power generation section, a power non-generation section which does not include the power generation section, and an oxygen-ion-insulating gas seal film arranged so as to cover the surface of the power non-generation section, and the gas seal film is configured by a structure formed by firing a material containing MTiO.sub.3 (M: alkaline earth metal element) and metal oxide. The structure may include a first structure and a second structure which are different in composition, the first structure may include components derived from MTiO.sub.3 in larger amounts than the second structure, the second structure may include a metal element contained in the metal oxide in a larger amount than the first structure, and the area ratio of the second structure in the structure may be not less than 1% and not more than 50%.

Apparatuses and methods for performing coupled chemical and electrochemical reactions are disclosed. An electrochemical cell has a first reaction chamber configured to perform a chemical reaction and an anode chamber configured to perform an electrochemical reaction. The first reaction chamber and the anode chamber are separated by a first membrane. The first membrane acts as a cathode of the cell, a hydrogen-selective layer and a catalyst. The first membrane may comprise a layer of palladium or a palladium alloy. An ion exchange membrane separates the first membrane and the anode chamber. The chemical and electrochemical reactions may respectively be hydrogenation and dehydrogenation reactions.

Apparatuses and methods for performing coupled chemical and electrochemical reactions are disclosed. An electrochemical cell has a first reaction chamber configured to perform a chemical reaction and an anode chamber configured to perform an electrochemical reaction. The first reaction chamber and the anode chamber are separated by a first membrane. The first membrane acts as a cathode of the cell, a hydrogen-selective layer and a catalyst. The first membrane may comprise a layer of palladium or a palladium alloy. An ion exchange membrane separates the first membrane and the anode chamber. The chemical and electrochemical reactions may respectively be hydrogenation and dehydrogenation reactions.

A multilayer cation exchange membrane for use in a chloralkali process comprising an carboxylate layer comprising a fluorinated ionomer containing carboxylate groups on one side of the membrane, an exterior sulfonate layer comprising a fluorinated ionomer containing sulfonate groups on the side of the membrane opposite the carboxylate layer, and an interior sulfonate layer comprising a fluorinated ionomer containing to sulfonate groups between the carboxylate layer and the exterior sulfonate layer, the exterior sulfonate layer having an ion exchange ratio greater than about 11.3, and the interior sulfonate layer having an ion exchange ratio less than about 11.