In this disclosure, a process of recycling acid, base and the salt reagents required in the Li recovery process is introduced. A membrane electrolysis cell which incorporates an oxygen depolarized cathode is implemented to generate the required chemicals onsite. The system can utilize a portion of the salar brine or other lithium-containing brine or solid waste to generate hydrochloric or sulfuric acid, sodium hydroxide and carbonate salts. Simultaneous generation of acid and base allows for taking advantage of both chemicals during the conventional Li recovery from brines and mineral rocks. The desalinated water can also be used for the washing steps on the recovery process or returned into the evaporation ponds. The method also can be used for the direct conversion of lithium salts to the high value LiOH product. The method does not produce any solid effluent which makes it easy-to-adopt for use in existing industrial Li recovery plants.

In this disclosure, a process of recycling acid, base and the salt reagents required in the Li recovery process is introduced. A membrane electrolysis cell which incorporates an oxygen depolarized cathode is implemented to generate the required chemicals onsite. The system can utilize a portion of the salar brine or other lithium-containing brine or solid waste to generate hydrochloric or sulfuric acid, sodium hydroxide and carbonate salts. Simultaneous generation of acid and base allows for taking advantage of both chemicals during the conventional Li recovery from brines and mineral rocks. The desalinated water can also be used for the washing steps on the recovery process or returned into the evaporation ponds. The method also can be used for the direct conversion of lithium salts to the high value LiOH product. The method does not produce any solid effluent which makes it easy-to-adopt for use in existing industrial Li recovery plants.

A coated electrode assembly (CEA) comprising: i) a gas diffusion layer (GDE); and ii) a coating. The GDE comprises a gas diffusion layer (GDL) and a catalyst layer. The catalyst layer is disposed between the coating and the GDL. The catalyst layer comprises a hydrophobic polymer and/or an ionomeric polymer and the coating comprises a hydrophobic polymer and/or an ionomeric polymer. A method for making a CEA is provided. The CEA may have improved performance and stability compared to a membrane electrode assembly (MEA).

A coated electrode assembly (CEA) comprising: i) a gas diffusion layer (GDE); and ii) a coating. The GDE comprises a gas diffusion layer (GDL) and a catalyst layer. The catalyst layer is disposed between the coating and the GDL. The catalyst layer comprises a hydrophobic polymer and/or an ionomeric polymer and the coating comprises a hydrophobic polymer and/or an ionomeric polymer. A method for making a CEA is provided. The CEA may have improved performance and stability compared to a membrane electrode assembly (MEA).

A coral reef-like nickel phosphide-tungsten oxide nanocomposite is disclosed. The coral reef-like nickel phosphide-tungsten oxide nanocomposite has a structure in which algae-like transition metal-doped nickel phosphide nanosheets are deposited on coral-like tungsten oxide nanostructures grown vertically on a substrate. This structure allows the coral reef-like nickel phosphide-tungsten oxide nanocomposite to have a large surface area, which leads to a significant increase in the number of catalytic active sites, and ensures high conductivity and electrochemical stability of the coral reef-like nickel phosphide-tungsten oxide nanocomposite. Due to these advantages, the coral reef-like nickel phosphide-tungsten oxide nanocomposite has a low overpotential and superior hydrogen evolution reaction or oxygen evolution reaction efficiency when applied to a water splitting catalyst under alkaline conditions. Also disclosed are a method for preparing the coral reef-like nickel phosphide-tungsten oxide nanocomposite and a catalyst for electrochemical water splitting including the coral reef-like nickel phosphide-tungsten oxide nanocomposite.

A coral reef-like nickel phosphide-tungsten oxide nanocomposite is disclosed. The coral reef-like nickel phosphide-tungsten oxide nanocomposite has a structure in which algae-like transition metal-doped nickel phosphide nanosheets are deposited on coral-like tungsten oxide nanostructures grown vertically on a substrate. This structure allows the coral reef-like nickel phosphide-tungsten oxide nanocomposite to have a large surface area, which leads to a significant increase in the number of catalytic active sites, and ensures high conductivity and electrochemical stability of the coral reef-like nickel phosphide-tungsten oxide nanocomposite. Due to these advantages, the coral reef-like nickel phosphide-tungsten oxide nanocomposite has a low overpotential and superior hydrogen evolution reaction or oxygen evolution reaction efficiency when applied to a water splitting catalyst under alkaline conditions. Also disclosed are a method for preparing the coral reef-like nickel phosphide-tungsten oxide nanocomposite and a catalyst for electrochemical water splitting including the coral reef-like nickel phosphide-tungsten oxide nanocomposite.

A method for producing a nitride semiconductor photoelectrode includes: a first step of forming an n-type gallium nitride layer on an electrically insulative or conductive substrate; a second step of forming an indium gallium nitride layer on the n-type gallium nitride layer; a third step of forming a p-type nickel oxide layer on the indium gallium nitride layer; and a fourth step of subjecting a nitride semiconductor in which the p-type nickel oxide layer has been formed to heat treatment.

A method for producing a nitride semiconductor photoelectrode includes: a first step of forming an n-type gallium nitride layer on an electrically insulative or conductive substrate; a second step of forming an indium gallium nitride layer on the n-type gallium nitride layer; a third step of forming a p-type nickel oxide layer on the indium gallium nitride layer; and a fourth step of subjecting a nitride semiconductor in which the p-type nickel oxide layer has been formed to heat treatment.

To provide an ion exchange membrane with a catalyst layer, an ion exchange membrane and an electrolytic hydrogenation apparatus, which can lower electrolysis voltage and increase current efficiency at the time of electrolytic hydrogenation of an aromatic compound.

The ion exchange membrane with a catalyst layer of the present invention has an inorganic particle layer containing inorganic particles and a binder, a layer (Sa) containing a first fluorinated polymer having sulfonic acid type functional groups, and a layer (Sb) containing a second fluorinated polymer having sulfonic acid type functional groups, and a catalyst layer, in this order, wherein the ion exchange capacity of the above first fluorinated polymer is lower than the ion exchange capacity of the above second fluorinated polymer.

To provide an ion exchange membrane with a catalyst layer, an ion exchange membrane and an electrolytic hydrogenation apparatus, which can lower electrolysis voltage and increase current efficiency at the time of electrolytic hydrogenation of an aromatic compound.

The ion exchange membrane with a catalyst layer of the present invention has an inorganic particle layer containing inorganic particles and a binder, a layer (Sa) containing a first fluorinated polymer having sulfonic acid type functional groups, and a layer (Sb) containing a second fluorinated polymer having sulfonic acid type functional groups, and a catalyst layer, in this order, wherein the ion exchange capacity of the above first fluorinated polymer is lower than the ion exchange capacity of the above second fluorinated polymer.