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.

Methods and systems related to the field of carbon capture and utilization are disclosed. Disclosed electrolysis reactors can have a cathode area having a cathode output and a cathode input for an input fluid and an anode area having an anode input and an anode output. The carbon input fluid contains carbon dioxide. The cathode area reduces an oxygen-containing species into hydroxide ions and reacts them with the carbon dioxide to form anions containing carbon. The anode area oxidizes one or more oxidizable species to generate a protonating species. The electrolysis reactors can have a third output for a carbon output fluid. The electrolysis reactors can begin to produce carbon dioxide from the anions containing carbon and the protonating species in response to a potential of less than 1.23 V applied across the cathode terminal and the anode terminal.

Methods and systems related to the field of carbon capture and utilization are disclosed. Disclosed electrolysis reactors can have a cathode area having a cathode output and a cathode input for an input fluid and an anode area having an anode input and an anode output. The carbon input fluid contains carbon dioxide. The cathode area reduces an oxygen-containing species into hydroxide ions and reacts them with the carbon dioxide to form anions containing carbon. The anode area oxidizes one or more oxidizable species to generate a protonating species. The electrolysis reactors can have a third output for a carbon output fluid. The electrolysis reactors can begin to produce carbon dioxide from the anions containing carbon and the protonating species in response to a potential of less than 1.23 V applied across the cathode terminal and the anode terminal.

This application relates to new process that utilizes electrodes that incorporate acids that facilitate upgrading of methane and other low molecular weight alkanes to higher order hydrocarbon molecules, such as paraffins, olefins, and aromatics, at temperatures less than 250° C. A primary focus of the invention includes methane conversion to ethylene. The first step of the process includes acid containing electrodes that facilitate the activation of the alkane in the anode layer of the electrochemical reactor. Subsequent steps include the separation of protons from produced longer chain hydrocarbons followed by subsequent electrochemical reduction of the protons to yield hydrogen at the cathode or protons combined with oxygen at the cathode to yield water. The reaction steps in the anode upgrade methane to higher order hydrocarbon products.

This invention is directed to a method of oxygenating hydrocarbons with molecular oxygen, O.sub.2, as oxidant under electrochemical reducing conditions, using polyoxometalate compounds containing copper such as Q.sub.10[Cu.sub.4(H.sub.2O).sub.2(B-α-PW.sub.9O.sub.34).sub.2] or Q.sub.13{[Cu(H.sub.2O)].sub.3[(A-α-PW.sub.9O.sub.34).sub.2(NO.sub.3).sup.−]} or solvates thereof as catalysts, wherein Q are each independently selected from alkali metal cations, alkaline earth metal cations, transition metal cations, NH.sub.4.sup.+, H.sup.+ or any combination thereof.

This invention is directed to a method of oxygenating hydrocarbons with molecular oxygen, O.sub.2, as oxidant under electrochemical reducing conditions, using polyoxometalate compounds containing copper such as Q.sub.10[Cu.sub.4(H.sub.2O).sub.2(B-α-PW.sub.9O.sub.34).sub.2] or Q.sub.13{[Cu(H.sub.2O)].sub.3[(A-α-PW.sub.9O.sub.34).sub.2(NO.sub.3).sup.−]} or solvates thereof as catalysts, wherein Q are each independently selected from alkali metal cations, alkaline earth metal cations, transition metal cations, NH.sub.4.sup.+, H.sup.+ or any combination thereof.

The present invention relates to an electrochemical method for converting an amino acid and/or its salts to an amine and/or a nitrile. The total yield and selectivity of amine and nitrile obtained by the method according to the present invention is higher than prior art when the reaction medium has a high concentration of amino acid and/or its salts at the beginning of the reaction.

The present invention relates to an electrochemical method for converting an amino acid and/or its salts to an amine and/or a nitrile. The total yield and selectivity of amine and nitrile obtained by the method according to the present invention is higher than prior art when the reaction medium has a high concentration of amino acid and/or its salts at the beginning of the reaction.

Electrochemical cells for the oxidation of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural are provided. Also provided are methods of using the cells to carry out the oxidation reactions. The electrochemical cells and methods use catalytic copper-based anodes to carry out the electrochemical oxidation reactions.

Electrochemical cells for the oxidation of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural are provided. Also provided are methods of using the cells to carry out the oxidation reactions. The electrochemical cells and methods use catalytic copper-based anodes to carry out the electrochemical oxidation reactions.