A clad porous metal substrate for use in a metal-supported electrochemical cell, wherein a metal support layer of defined porosity is clad on top and bottom sides with a layer containing a metal and/or a metal oxide. A metal-supported electrochemical half-cell and a metal-supported electrochemical cell are also described.

A wastewater to chemical fuel conversion device is provided that includes a housing having a first chamber and a second chamber, where the first chamber includes a bio-photoanode, where the second chamber includes a photocathode, where a backside of the bio-photoanode abuts a first side of a planatized fluorine doped tin oxide (FTO) glass, where a backside of the photocathode abuts a second side of the FTO glass, where a proton exchange membrane separates the first chamber from the second chamber, where the first chamber includes a wastewater input and a reclaimed water output, where the second chamber includes a solar light input and a H.sub.2 gas output, where the solar light input is disposed for solar light illumination of the first chamber and the second chamber.

Electrocatalytic apparatus for the simultaneous conversion of methane and CO.sub.2 into methanol via an elctrochemical reactor operating at ambient temperature and pressure, said electrochemical reactor simultaneously converts CO.sub.2 to methanol by surficial catalytic reaction on the cathode, and methane to methanol by surficial catalytic reaction on the anode. The electrochemical reactor futher works with an electrolyte consisting of electrolytic complexes of water-soluable transition metals and small molecules as co-catalyst of the electrocatalytic reactions and facilitator of ionic transfer and solubility of CO.sub.2 and CH.sub.4 molecules in the electrolyte. The electrochemical reactor is further equipped with zero-gap membrane electrocatalytic electrode assemlics, the cathode and anode comprising two electrocatalytic mesoporous surfaces and being tubular and coaxial, delineating two regions, which are separated one from the other by an ion exchange membrane (27). The tubular electrodes pack vertically together, the external gaps being filled by an insulating material. The packed electrodes are electronically connected to the power source in a parallel electrical circuit.

A layer system (1) for coating a bipolar plate (2), including at least one cover layer (1a) made of tin oxide, wherein at least one metal oxide of the group comprising tantalum oxide, niobium oxide, titanium oxide, zirconium oxide, and hafnium oxide is homogenously dissolved in the tin oxide, and the electric conductivity of the cover layer (1a) is greater than or equal to 10.sup.2 S/cm. A bipolar plate (2, 2′) is also provided with an anode side and a cathode side, comprising a substrate (2a, 2a′) and such a layer system (1), and to a fuel cell (10) or an electrolyzer comprising such a bipolar plate (2, 2′).

A layer system (1) for coating a bipolar plate (2), including at least one cover layer (1a) made of tin oxide, wherein at least one metal oxide of the group comprising tantalum oxide, niobium oxide, titanium oxide, zirconium oxide, and hafnium oxide is homogenously dissolved in the tin oxide, and the electric conductivity of the cover layer (1a) is greater than or equal to 10.sup.2 S/cm. A bipolar plate (2, 2′) is also provided with an anode side and a cathode side, comprising a substrate (2a, 2a′) and such a layer system (1), and to a fuel cell (10) or an electrolyzer comprising such a bipolar plate (2, 2′).

A catalyst composition including nickel foam and a plurality of carbon-doped nickel oxide nanorods disposed on the nickel foam.

An electrode of a chemical cell includes a substrate having a surface, an array of conductive projections supported by the substrate and extending outward from the surface of the substrate, each conductive projection of the array of conductive projections having a semiconductor composition for reduction of carbon dioxide (CO.sub.2) in the chemical cell, and a catalyst arrangement disposed along each conductive projection of the array of conductive projections, the catalyst arrangement including a copper-based catalyst and an iron-based catalyst for the reduction of carbon dioxide (CO.sub.2) in the chemical cell.

An electrochemical device can include a cathode layer including an ionic conductor material and an electronic conductor material. The cathode layer can include a ratio of (Vi/Ve) of a volume of the ionic conductor material (Vi) to a volume of the electronic conductor material (Ve) of at least 1.3. In an embodiment, the cathode layer can include a median surface diffusion length (Ls) greater than 0.33 microns. In an embodiment, the cathode layer can include a cathode functional layer.

An electrochemical device can include a cathode layer including an ionic conductor material and an electronic conductor material. The cathode layer can include a ratio of (Vi/Ve) of a volume of the ionic conductor material (Vi) to a volume of the electronic conductor material (Ve) of at least 1.3. In an embodiment, the cathode layer can include a median surface diffusion length (Ls) greater than 0.33 microns. In an embodiment, the cathode layer can include a cathode functional layer.

An electrode of a chemical cell includes a substrate having a surface, an array of conductive projections supported by the substrate and extending outward from the surface of the substrate, each conductive projection of the array of conductive projections having a semiconductor composition for reduction of carbon dioxide (CO.sub.2) in the chemical cell, and a catalyst arrangement disposed along each conductive projection of the array of conductive projections, the catalyst arrangement including a copper-based catalyst and an iron-based catalyst for the reduction of carbon dioxide (CO.sub.2) in the chemical cell.