The present disclosure is directed to the integration of direct air capture of carbon dioxide with thermochemical water splitting, the latter optionally driven by solar energy. The disclosure is also directed to a process comprising extracting carbon dioxide from an air stream by contacting the air-stream with an alkali metal ion-transition metal oxide of empirical formula A.sub.xMO.sub.2 (0.1<x≤1), where A represents the alkali metal ion comprising sodium ion, potassium ion, or a combination thereof and M comprises iron, manganese, or a combination thereof to form a transition metal composition comprising an oxidized ion extracted-transition metal oxide.

The present disclosure provides for a composition that includes a modified M/TiO.sub.2 composite, method of making the modified M/TiO.sub.2 composite, an electrode having modified M/TiO.sub.2 composite surface and a photoelectrochemical cell including the electrode, and methods of photoelectrochemical oxidation of water. The modified M/TiO.sub.2 composite can be used in an electrode configuration, for example, in a photoelectrochemical cell for the photoelectrochemical oxidation of water. The present disclosure provides for a modified M/TiO.sub.2 composite that has a catechol compound(s) (e.g., oligo-catechol) adsorbed onto at least the M (metal) on the surface of the modified M/TiO.sub.2 composite.

A hydrogen release and storage system (100) of the present invention includes a first hydrogen release and storage unit (100A) composed of a first hydrogen compound member (101A), a first container (102A) that accommodates the first hydrogen compound member (101A), a first heating apparatus (103A) configured to heat an inside of the first container (102A), a first cooling apparatus (104A) configured to cool the inside of the first container (102A), a first water supply apparatus (105A) configured to supply water to the first container (102A), a second hydrogen release and storage unit (100B) composed of a second hydrogen compound member (101B), a second container (102B) that accommodates the second hydrogen compound member (101B), a second heating apparatus (103B) configured to heat an inside of the second container (102B), a second cooling apparatus (104B) configured to cool the inside of the second container (102B) and a second water supply apparatus (105B) configured to supply water to the second container (102B).

Embodiments provide novel devices, nanowires, apparatuses, artificial leaves, photoelectrodes and membranes for photochemical energy production and methods of fabricating the same. The devices, apparatuses, artificial leaves, photoelectrodes, and membranes are planar and are embedded with nanowires, including InGaN nanowires. The unique devices, artificial leaves, apparatuses photoelectrodes, and nanowire-embedded membranes provide a high degree of flexibility and incorporate a large amount of indium, making them valuable for use for hydrogen production from sunlight and water. Embodiments also provide flexible substrates combining water oxidation and hydrogen reduction in a seamless manner to enhance the overall efficiency of water splitting.

A breathing mask includes a mask body unit and a container. The mask body unit includes a mask body having an inner surface configured to cooperate with a user's face to define an interior space therebetween, and two straps respectively connected to two opposite sides of the mask body. The container has a container body defining a chamber for receiving working liquid and formed with a plurality of vent holes for communicating the chamber with the interior space. At least one gas generating unit is connected to the container, and includes an electrolysis device disposed in a casing thereof for electrolyzing the working liquid into a hydrogen/oxygen gas mixture.

Provided is a method for producing a photocatalyst electrode for water decomposition that exhibits excellent detachability between the substrate and the photocatalyst layer and exhibits high photocurrent density. The method for producing a photocatalyst electrode for water decomposition of the invention includes: a metal layer forming step of forming a metal layer on one surface of a first substrate by a vapor phase film-forming method or a liquid phase film-forming method; a photocatalyst layer forming step of forming a photocatalyst layer by subjecting the metal layer to at least one treatment selected from an oxidation treatment, a nitriding treatment, a sulfurization treatment, or a selenization treatment; a current collecting layer forming step of forming a current collecting layer on a surface of the photocatalyst layer, the surface being on the opposite side of the first substrate; and a detachment step of detaching the first substrate from the photocatalyst layer.

An oxygen generation apparatus of the first embodiment includes an outer container, a container lid, a piercing member, and an inner container. An annular flange is formed inside the inner container, and a surface of the annular flange is provided with two sealing films to accommodate an oxygen generating agent. The piercing member may move from a first position to a second position relative to the container lid, so as to break the sealing films to mix the oxygen generating agents to generate oxygen; an oxygen generation apparatus of the second embodiment includes two inner containers, where an annular flange is formed on one inner container to dispose a sealing film to accommodate an oxygen generating agent, a bottom surface of another inner container is provided in a concave manner with an accommodation space which accommodates the piercing member.

A noble metal-free water oxidation electrocatalyst can be stable and obtained from earth-abundant materials, e.g., using copper-colloidal nanoparticles. The catalyst may contain nanobead and nanorod morphological features with narrow size distribution. The onset for oxygen evolution reaction can occur at a potential of 1.45 V.sub.RHE (η=220 mV). Such catalysts may be stable during long-term water electrolysis and/or exhibit a high electroactive area, e.g., with a Tafel slope of 52 mV/dec, TOF of 0.81 s.sup.−1, and/or mass activity of 87 mA/mg. The copper may also perform CO.sub.2 reduction at the cathode side. The Cu-based electrocatalytic system may provide a flexible catalyst for electrooxidation of water and for chemical energy conversion, without requiring Pt, Ir, or Ru.

Photocatalysts and methods of using photocatalysts for producing hydrogen and oxygen from water are disclosed. The photocatalysts include an iodide modified photoactive material having an electrically conductive material attached to the iodide ions.

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.