Abstract: Illustratively, an electrical generator includes a photovoltaic element which converts light produced by a surface into electrical power, the surface located in thermal communication with exhaust gases produced by an exothermic chemical reaction; a heat exchanger which takes at least a majority of thermal energy in the exhaust gases, after the thermal communication, and transfers the thermal energy to air input to the reaction; a catalytic converter, inside the heat exchanger, located to ensure that at least most of the exhaust gases are communicated into the catalytic converter and that heat generated by operation of the catalytic converter is transferred to the air input to the reaction; a sensor in the heat exchanger, located to monitor the reaction before the exhaust gases are communicated into the catalytic converter; a sensor located to sense after the exhaust gases are communicated into the catalytic converter, whether the catalytic converter is functioning properly.

Abstract: Representatively, a method of separating carbon from hydrocarbon molecules, the method including: heating hydrocarbon molecules beyond their boiling point; decomposing the heated hydrocarbon molecules to generate elemental or molecular carbon and hydrogen gas; separating at least some of the elemental or molecular carbon from the hydrogen gas; chemically reacting the hydrogen gas to produce heat; and applying some of the heat in carrying out said heating.

Abstract: Illustratively, an electrical generator includes a photovoltaic element which converts light produced by a surface into electrical power, the surface located in thermal communication with exhaust gases produced by an exothermic chemical reaction; a heat exchanger which takes at least a majority of thermal energy in the exhaust gases, after the thermal communication, and transfers the thermal energy to air input to the reaction; a catalytic converter, inside the heat exchanger, located to ensure that at least most of the exhaust gases are communicated into the catalytic converter and that heat generated by operation of the catalytic converter is transferred to the air input to the reaction; a sensor in the heat exchanger, located to monitor the reaction before the exhaust gases are communicated into the catalytic converter; a sensor located to sense after the exhaust gases are communicated into the catalytic converter, whether the catalytic converter is functioning properly.

Abstract: A device, method of making, and method of using, illustratively wherein a container includes an inlet and an outlet; a catalytic converter intermediate in a path between the inlet and the outlet; at least one surface arranged to ensure at least a majority of gas received from the inlet traverses a first portion of the path from the inlet to the catalytic converter and communicates heat from the catalytic converter to the container; and an optical means arranged to transport visible light, emitted from the catalytic converter during reduction of the smog-generating chemical in the gas, to a location outside the container to indicate whether the catalytic converter is functioning properly.

Abstract: Representatively, a method of separating carbon from hydrocarbon molecules, the method including: heating hydrocarbon molecules beyond their boiling point; decomposing the heated hydrocarbon molecules to generate elemental or molecular carbon and hydrogen gas; separating at least some of the elemental or molecular carbon from the hydrogen gas; chemically reacting the hydrogen gas to produce heat; and applying some of the heat in carrying out said heating.

Abstract: A device, method of making, and method of using, illustratively wherein a container includes an inlet and an outlet; a catalytic converter intermediate in a path between the inlet and the outlet; at least one surface arranged to ensure at least a majority of gas received from the inlet traverses a first portion of the path from the inlet to the catalytic converter and communicates heat from the catalytic converter to the container; and an optical indicator arranged to indicate outside the container whether the catalytic converter is operating inside the container to reduce concentration of a smog-generating chemical with respect to the gas.

Abstract: A high temperature hydrogen gas separation membrane employing a physically interlocking barrier layer to form a spinel or intermetallic architecture bonding the metal barrier layer onto the surface of a fibrous metal medial structural support substrate. A tantalum/niobium interface layer is deposited on the barrier layer. The final layer is a precious metal such as palladium, which is deposited on the tantalum/niobium interface layer.