Abstract: The present teachings are directed toward an electrocatalytic cell including a barrier, having at least a first side and a second side opposite the first side, comprising a material permeable to oxygen ions and impermeable to at least CO2, CO, H2, H2O and hydrocarbons, an electrical power supply in communication with the barrier, a catalyst adjacent the first side of the barrier, a supply of feedstock components in communication with the first side of the barrier, a supply of a carrier gas component in communication with the second side of the barrier; wherein the feedstock components contact the catalyst and react to form hydrocarbon-containing components and oxygen-containing components, and the electrical power supply biases the barrier to thereby conduct oxygen ions from the first side to the second side. Also presented are a device and methods for producing carbon nanotubes.

Abstract: Cryptomelane-type manganese oxide octahedral molecular sieves (OMS-2) supported Fe and Co catalysts are utilized in a method for producing hydrocarbons by a Fischer-Tropsch mechanism. The hydrocarbon producing method includes providing a catalyst of a manganese oxide-based octahedral molecular sieve nanofibers with an active catalyst component of at least one of iron, cobalt, nickel, copper, manganese, vanadium, zinc, and mixtures thereof, and further containing an alkali metal. The formation of iron carbides and cobalt carbides by exposing the catalyst to conditions sufficient to form those carbides is also taught. After the catalyst has been appropriately treated, a carbon source and a hydrogen source are provided and contacted with the catalyst to thereby form a hydrocarbon containing product. The catalyst have high catalytic activity and selectivity (75%) for C2+ hydrocarbons in both CO hydrogenation and CO2 hydrogenation.

Abstract: Cryptomelane-type manganese oxide octahedral molecular sieves (OMS-2) supported Fe and Co catalysts are utilized in a method for producing hydrocarbons by a Fischer-Tropsch mechanism. The hydrocarbon producing method includes providing a catalyst of a manganese oxide-based octahedral molecular sieve nanofibers with an active catalyst component of at least one of iron, cobalt, nickel, copper, manganese, vanadium, zinc, and mixtures thereof, and further containing an alkali metal. The formation of iron carbides and cobalt carbides by exposing the catalyst to conditions sufficient to form those carbides is also taught. After the catalyst has been appropriately treated, a carbon source and a hydrogen source are provided and contacted with the catalyst to thereby form a hydrocarbon containing product. The catalyst have high catalytic activity and selectivity (75%) for C2+ hydrocarbons in both CO hydrogenation and CO2 hydrogenation.

Abstract: The present teachings are directed toward an electrocatalytic cell including a barrier, having at least a first side and a second side opposite the first side, comprising a material permeable to oxygen ions and impermeable to at least CO2, CO, H2, H2O and hydrocarbons, an electrical power supply in communication with the barrier, a catalyst adjacent the first side of the barrier, a supply of feedstock components in communication with the first side of the barrier, a supply of a carrier gas component in communication with the second side of the barrier; wherein the feedstock components contact the catalyst and react to form hydrocarbon-containing components and oxygen-containing components, and the electrical power supply biases the barrier to thereby conduct oxygen ions from the first side to the second side. Also presented are a device and methods for producing carbon nanotubes.

Abstract: The present teachings are directed toward electrocatalyst compositions of platinum, titanium and at least a third metal for use in fuel cells. The electrocatalyst composition is composed essentially of platinum present in an atomic percentage ranging between about 55 percent and about 85 percent, titanium present in an atomic percentage ranging between about 1 percent and about 30 percent, and at least a third metal present in an atomic percentage ranging between about 1 percent and about 30 percent. The third metal can be at least one member selected from the group consisting of nickel, vanadium and molybdenum.

Abstract: The present teachings are directed toward electrocatalyst compositions of platinum, tungsten and at least a third metal for use in fuel cells. The electrocatalyst composition is composed essentially of platinum present in an atomic percentage ranging between about 20 percent and about 55 percent, tungsten present in an atomic percentage ranging between about 30 percent and about 75 percent, and at least a third metal present in an atomic percentage ranging between about 1 percent and about 40 percent. The third metal can be at least one member selected from the group consisting of scandium, vanadium, chromium, manganese, iron, cobalt, copper, zinc, yttrium, niobium, molybdenum, cadmium, tin, hafnium, tantalum and rhenium; additional fourth and fifth metals can also be present.

Abstract: The present teachings are directed toward electrocatalyst composition of an alloy of platinum and tungsten for use in fuel cells. The alloy consists essentially of platinum metal present in an atomic percentage ranging between about 20 percent and about 50 percent, and tungsten metal present in an atomic percentage ranging between about 50 percent and about 80 percent.

Abstract: The present teachings are directed toward electrocatalyst compositions of platinum, titanium and at least a third metal for use in fuel cells. The electrocatalyst composition is composed essentially of platinum present in an atomic percentage ranging between about 50 percent and about 85 percent, titanium present in an atomic percentage ranging between about 5 percent and about 30 percent, and at least a third metal present in an atomic percentage ranging between about 1 percent and about 30 percent. The third metal can be at least one member selected from the group consisting of cobalt, ruthenium, rhodium, palladium, silver, osmium, iridium and gold.

Abstract: The present teachings are directed toward electrocatalyst compositions of alloys of platinum, tungsten and nickel for use in fuel cells. The alloys consists essentially of platinum present in an atomic percentage ranging between about 20 percent and about 45 percent, tungsten present in an atomic percentage ranging between about 30 percent and about 70 percent, and nickel present in an atomic percentage ranging between about 5 percent and about 25 percent.

Abstract: The present teachings are directed toward electrocatalyst compositions of platinum, titanium and at least a third metal for use in fuel cells. The electrocatalyst composition is composed essentially of platinum present in an atomic percentage ranging between about 55 percent and about 95 percent, titanium present in an atomic percentage ranging between about 1 percent and about 30 percent, and at least a third metal present in an atomic percentage ranging between about 1 percent and about 30 percent. The third metal can be at least one member selected from the group consisting of copper, manganese and iron.

Abstract: The present application is directed to a fabrication method to reduce Pt loading in fuel cells through the use of thin film electrodes by increasing Pt utilization and the use of more active Pt alloys that can be easily and inexpensively fabricated by sputter deposition. Pt and Pt alloy thin films were sputter deposited onto carbon/Nafion® decals and subsequently hot pressed with the catalyst thin film towards the membrane. The results show improved mass performance and catalyst utilization with Pt thin films and increased mass activities can be achieved with PtCo (76:24 atomic ratio) and PtCr (80:20 atomic ratio) as compared to pure Pt. Mass activity improvements of 14 mV and 8 mV were observed for the PtCo and PtCr alloys with respect to a pure Pt film with similar mass loading under 300/350 kPa hydrogen/oxygen operation.

Abstract: The present teachings are directed toward electrocatalyst compositions of alloys of platinum, tungsten and nickel for use in fuel cells. The alloys consists essentially of platinum present in an atomic percentage ranging between about 20 percent and about 45 percent, tungsten present in an atomic percentage ranging between about 30 percent and about 70 percent, and nickel present in an atomic percentage ranging between about 5 percent and about 25 percent.

Abstract: The present teachings are directed toward electrocatalyst compositions of alloys of platinum, tungsten and one of either of nickel or zirconium for use in fuel cells. The alloys consists essentially of platinum present in an atomic percentage ranging between about 20 percent and about 45 percent, tungsten present in an atomic percentage ranging between about 30 percent and about 70 percent, and one of either nickel present in an atomic percentage ranging between about 5 percent and about 25 percent, or zirconium present in an atomic percentage ranging between about 5 percent and about 40 percent.

Abstract: The present teachings are directed toward electrocatalyst compositions of platinum, titanium, a third, fourth and possibly fifth metal for use in fuel cells. The electrocatalyst composition is composed essentially of platinum present in an atomic percentage ranging between about 30 percent and about 85 percent, titanium present in an atomic percentage ranging between about 5 percent and about 30 percent, a third metal present in an atomic percentage ranging between about 1 percent and about 30 percent, a fourth metal present in an atomic percentage ranging between about 1 percent and about 30 percent, and a possible fifth metal present in an atomic percentage ranging between about 1 percent and about 30 percent. The third metal can be at least one member selected from the group consisting of nickel, vanadium, molybdenum, copper, manganese, iron, cobalt, ruthenium, rhodium, palladium, silver, osmium, iridium and gold.