An electrolysis electrode includes a conductive substrate, a catalyst layer and a tantalum oxide layer. The conductive substrate includes at least titanium. The catalyst layer is provided on the conductive substrate. The catalyst layer includes platinum and iridium oxide. The tantalum oxide layer is provided on the catalyst layer. In the electrolysis electrode, the catalyst layer is partially exposed.

An electrolysis electrode includes a conductive substrate, a catalyst layer and a tantalum oxide layer. The conductive substrate includes at least titanium. The catalyst layer is provided on the conductive substrate. The catalyst layer includes platinum and iridium oxide. The tantalum oxide layer is provided on the catalyst layer. In the electrolysis electrode, the catalyst layer is partially exposed.

Herein discussed is an electrochemical reactor comprising a mixed-conducting membrane, wherein the membrane comprises an electronically conducting phase and an ionically conducting phase, wherein the reactor is capable of reforming a hydrocarbon electrochemically, wherein the electrochemical reforming reactions involve the exchange of an ion through the membrane to oxidize the hydrocarbon. Further discussed herein is a method of producing hydrogen comprising providing an electrochemical (EC) reactor having a mixed-conducting membrane, introducing a first stream comprising a hydrocarbon to the reactor, introducing a second stream comprising water to the reactor, and reducing the water in the second stream to produce hydrogen, wherein the first stream and the second stream do not come in contact with each other in the reactor, and wherein the hydrocarbon is reformed electrochemically in the EC reactor.

Herein discussed is a hydrogen production system comprising a first reactor zone and a second reactor zone, wherein both reactor zones comprise an ionically conducting membrane, wherein the first zone is capable of reforming a hydrocarbon electrochemically and the second zone is capable of performing water gas shift reactions electrochemically, wherein the electrochemical reforming reactions involve the exchange of an ion through the membrane to oxidize the hydrocarbon and wherein electrochemical water gas shift reactions involve the exchange of an ion through the membrane and include forward water gas shift reactions, or reverse water gas shift reactions, or both. In an embodiment, the membrane is mixed conducting. In an embodiment, the membrane comprises an electronically conducting phase and an ionically conducting phase.

Electrosynthesis of oxirane can include contacting a halide electrolyte with an anode that includes an electrocatalyst comprising iridium oxide loaded with a period-6 metal oxide and provided on a metal substrate. The cathode can be operated under ORR conditions. The electrochemical system can also be provided as an integrated system that includes CO.sub.2 electroreduction to produce ethylene and formation of hypochlorous acid using the electrocatalyst, followed by contact of the ethylene and the hypochlorous acid to form ethylene chlorohydrin which is, in turn, contacted with OH.sup.− ions to produce oxirane.

Electrosynthesis of oxirane can include contacting a halide electrolyte with an anode that includes an electrocatalyst comprising iridium oxide loaded with a period-6 metal oxide and provided on a metal substrate. The cathode can be operated under ORR conditions. The electrochemical system can also be provided as an integrated system that includes CO.sub.2 electroreduction to produce ethylene and formation of hypochlorous acid using the electrocatalyst, followed by contact of the ethylene and the hypochlorous acid to form ethylene chlorohydrin which is, in turn, contacted with OH.sup.− ions to produce oxirane.

A titanium sub-oxide/ruthenium oxide composite electrode and a preparation method and application thereof. Titanium-based titanium sub-oxide nanotubes is taken as a bottom layer, and titanium sub-oxide doped ruthenium oxide is taken as a surface composite active layer. A titanium substrate is anodized in a fluorine-containing ionic electrolyte, taken out, subjected to heating and roasting, cooled and then subjected to cathodic electrochemical reduction in polarizing liquid, so that a titanium-based titanium sub-oxide nanotube electrode is obtained; and then the titanium-based titanium sub-oxide nanotube electrode is taken as a cathode to be electrodeposited in a ruthenium trichloride electrolyte doped with titanium sub-oxide powder, taken out and then subjected to heating and roasting, so that the titanium sub-oxide/ruthenium oxide composite electrode is obtained.

A titanium sub-oxide/ruthenium oxide composite electrode and a preparation method and application thereof. Titanium-based titanium sub-oxide nanotubes is taken as a bottom layer, and titanium sub-oxide doped ruthenium oxide is taken as a surface composite active layer. A titanium substrate is anodized in a fluorine-containing ionic electrolyte, taken out, subjected to heating and roasting, cooled and then subjected to cathodic electrochemical reduction in polarizing liquid, so that a titanium-based titanium sub-oxide nanotube electrode is obtained; and then the titanium-based titanium sub-oxide nanotube electrode is taken as a cathode to be electrodeposited in a ruthenium trichloride electrolyte doped with titanium sub-oxide powder, taken out and then subjected to heating and roasting, so that the titanium sub-oxide/ruthenium oxide composite electrode is obtained.

A catalyst laminate includes a plurality of catalyst layers containing at least one of a noble metal and an oxide of the noble metal and at least one of a non-noble metal and an oxide of the non-noble metal, including: two or more first catalyst layers and two or more second catalyst layers. In an atomic percent of the noble metal obtained by using a line analysis by energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy in a thickness direction of the catalyst laminate. The first catalyst layer is less than an average of a highest value and a lowest value of the atomic percent of the noble metal. The second catalyst layer has an atomic percent of the noble metal equal to or greater than the average of the highest value and the lowest value thereof. The second catalyst layer is present between the first catalyst layers.

A catalyst laminate includes a plurality of catalyst layers containing at least one of a noble metal and an oxide of the noble metal and at least one of a non-noble metal and an oxide of the non-noble metal, including: two or more first catalyst layers and two or more second catalyst layers. In an atomic percent of the noble metal obtained by using a line analysis by energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy in a thickness direction of the catalyst laminate. The first catalyst layer is less than an average of a highest value and a lowest value of the atomic percent of the noble metal. The second catalyst layer has an atomic percent of the noble metal equal to or greater than the average of the highest value and the lowest value thereof. The second catalyst layer is present between the first catalyst layers.