Abstract: Photoactive silicon films may be formed by electrodeposition from a molten salt electrolyte. In an embodiment, SiO2 is electrochemically reduced in a molten salt bath to deposit silicon on a carbonaceous substrate.

Abstract: An electrochemical cell includes a negative electrode having a first liquid phase having a first active metal, a positive electrode having a second liquid phase having a second active metal, and a liquid electrolyte having a salt of the first active metal and a salt of the second active metal. The electrochemical cell also includes a bipolar faradaic membrane, disposed between the negative electrode and the positive electrode, having a first surface facing the negative electrode and a second surface facing the positive electrode. The bipolar faradaic membrane is configured to allow cations of the first active metal to pass through and to impede cations of the second active metal from transferring from the positive electrode to the negative electrode and is at least partially formed from a material having an electronic conductivity sufficient to drive faradaic reactions at the second surface with the cations of the positive electrode.

Abstract: Photoactive silicon films may be formed by electrodeposition from a molten salt electrolyte. In an embodiment, SiO2 is electrochemically reduced in a molten salt bath to deposit silicon on a carbonaceous substrate.

Abstract: An electrochemical cell comprising: a negative electrode comprising lithium and aluminum; a positive electrode, separate from the negative electrode, comprising a liquid phase having zinc; a liquid electrolyte, disposed between the negative electrode and the positive electrode, comprising a salt of lithium and a salt of zinc; and a bipolar faradaic membrane, disposed between the negative electrode and the positive electrode, having a first surface facing the negative electrode and a second surface facing the positive electrode, the bipolar faradaic membrane configured to allow cations of lithium to pass through and configured to impede cations of zinc from transferring from the positive electrode to the negative electrode, the bipolar faradaic membrane at least partially formed from a material having an electronic conductivity sufficient to drive faradaic reactions at the second surface with the cations of the positive electrode.

Abstract: An electrochemical cell includes a negative electrode having a first liquid phase having a first active metal, a positive electrode having a second liquid phase having a second active metal, and a liquid electrolyte having a salt of the first active metal and a salt of the second active metal. The electrochemical cell also includes a bipolar faradaic membrane, disposed between the negative electrode and the positive electrode, having a first surface facing the negative electrode and a second surface facing the positive electrode. The bipolar faradaic membrane is configured to allow cations of the first active metal to pass through and to impede cations of the second active metal from transferring from the positive electrode to the negative electrode and is at least partially formed from a material having an electronic conductivity sufficient to drive faradaic reactions at the second surface with the cations of the positive electrode.