A water electrolyzer comprises a membrane, a cathode and an anode. The membrane comprises a first membrane layer comprising a first ion-conductive polymer, a second membrane layer comprising a second ion-conductive polymer, and a platinized nanostructured layer disposed between the first layer and the second layer. The platinized nanostructured layer comprises close-packed whiskers having at least one of platinum or platinum oxide disposed thereon. The cathode is disposed on the membrane and comprises a first catalyst consisting essentially of both metallic Pt and Pt oxide. The anode is disposed on the opposite surface of the membrane and comprises a second catalyst comprising at least 95 percent by weight of collectively metallic Ir and Ir oxide, calculated as elemental Ir, based on the total weight of the second catalyst, wherein at least one of metallic Ir or Ir oxide is present. Membranes and methods of making them are also disclosed.

The present invention relates to new anion exchange polymers and (blend) membranes made from polymers containing highly fluorinated aromatic groups by means of nucleophilic substitution and processes for their production by means of nucleophilic aromatic substitution and their areas of application in membrane processes, in particular in electrochemical membrane processes such as fuel cells, electrolysis and redox flow batteries.

The present invention relates to new anion exchange polymers and (blend) membranes made from polymers containing highly fluorinated aromatic groups by means of nucleophilic substitution and processes for their production by means of nucleophilic aromatic substitution and their areas of application in membrane processes, in particular in electrochemical membrane processes such as fuel cells, electrolysis and redox flow batteries.

One aspect of the present invention provides a sodium hypochlorite producing system, which includes: a first means configured to obtain saturated salt water and purified water; a second means including a anode chamber and a cathode chamber which are partitioned by a separator, the anode chamber allowing the saturated salt water to be converted into a anodic product including chlorine gas and anodic water, and the cathode chamber allowing the purified water to be converted into a cathodic product including sodium hydroxide, hydrogen gas, and hydroxide ions (OH.sup.−); a third means configured to react the anodic product and the cathodic product to produce a mixture including sodium hypochlorite and hydrogen gas; and a fourth means configured to prevent the sodium hydroxide or hydroxide ions (OH.sup.−) of the cathodic product or a combination thereof from moving to the anode chamber through the separator.

A polymer electrolyte membrane according to the present invention has a cluster diameter of 2.96 to 4.00 nm and a converted puncture strength of 300 gf/50 μm or more. The polymer electrolyte membrane according to the present invention has a low electric resistance and an excellent mechanical strength.

The disclosure provides in its first aspect a catalyst system for gas-phase electrolysis of a reactant gas to form a product in an aqueous medium, the catalyst system comprising a catalytic material; an ion-conducting polymer layer provided on the catalytic material and comprising an ion-conducting polymer that includes hydrophilic and hydrophobic groups. Said catalyst system is remarkable in that the ion-conducting polymer layer has a thickness of 2 nm to 50 nm measured by transmission-electron microscopy. In its second aspect, the disclosure provides a method of manufacturing a catalyst system for gas-phase electrolysis of reactant gas to produce a product in an aqueous medium preferably according to the first aspect. The use of the catalyst system in accordance with the first aspect in the electrochemical production of at least one multi-carbon compound from a carbon-containing gas or of at least one product from a reactant gas is also disclosed.

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.

A method for making a metal-organic framework, MOF, as nanosheets, includes providing a MXene, wherein the MXene has a general formula of M.sub.n+1X.sub.nT.sub.x, with n=1-3, M represents an early transition metal, X is C and/or N, and Tx is surface terminations; providing a ligand; mixing the MXene and the ligand in a vessel; heating the MXene and the ligand in the vessel; and forming the MX-MOF nanosheets. The MX-MOF nanosheets have a thickness less than 10 nm.

Disclosed is an electrolyte membrane including an antioxidant containing elemental sulfur or a sulfur compound to improve antioxidant activity and resistance to acids. In addition, a membrane-electrode assembly including the electrolyte membrane is disclosed.