Abstract: A method of preparing a material surface, such as palladium, to facilitate desirable reactions, especially exothermic reactions in a liquid medium, involves placing the material whose surface is to be treated into an electrolytic cell as at least one of the electrodes and then concurrently stimulating the material electrically, vibrationally and photonically. The electrolytic cell includes a solution in water of an electrolyte, a siliceous surfactant and a pH-adjusting agent, all heated and maintained at or just below its boiling point. A series of voltage pulses are applied to the electrodes over an extended time period while also being illuminated with intensity-modulated light pulses. The material surface thus treated exhibits crater sites and silica coatings, evidencing a change in bonding of the palladium surface, as well as a sustained exothermic reaction.

Abstract: A method of preparing a material surface, such as palladium, to facilitate desirable reactions, especially exothermic reactions in a liquid medium, involves placing the material whose surface is to be treated into an electrolytic cell as at least one of the electrodes and then concurrently stimulating the material electrically, vibrationally and photonically. The electrolytic cell includes a solution in water of an electrolyte, a siliceous surfactant and a pH-adjusting agent, all heated and maintained at or just below its boiling point. A series of voltage pulses are applied to the electrodes over an extended time period while also being illuminated with intensity-modulated light pulses. The material surface thus treated exhibits crater sites and silica coatings, evidencing a change in bonding of the palladium surface, as well as a sustained exothermic reaction.

Abstract: A method for the photoelectrolysis of a liquid or gaseous species, comprises irradiating an ion exchange membrane of a membrane electrode assembly, wherein the membrane is an optically transparent material and comprises the species.

Abstract: A method of forming a chemical composition such as a chemical hydride is described and which includes the steps of selecting a composition having chemical bonds and which is capable of forming a chemical hydride; providing a source of hydrogen; and exposing the selected composition to an amount of ionizing radiation to encourage the changing of the chemical bonds of the selected composition, and chemically reacting the selected composition with the source of hydrogen to facilitate the formation of a chemical hydride.

Abstract: A photoelectrochemical cell which includes a light transmissive enclosure, a semiconductor photoanode disposed within the light transmissive enclosure, a semiconductor photocathode disposed within the light transmissive enclosure, and an electrolytic solution disposed entirely between the semiconductor photoanode and the semiconductor photocathode. This is achieved by the use of semiconductor photoelectrodes (photoanodes and photocathodes) which include a proton exchange membrane having an electrolyte facing surface in contact with the electrolytic solution and a light transmissive wall facing surface, and having a photo electro-catalyst disposed on the light transmissive wall facing surface.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for performing electrolysis on materials such as water, thereby electrically separating the electrolyte into its elemental components. More specifically, according to a preferred aspect of the instant invention, there is provided an apparatus for splitting water into hydrogen and oxygen that uses a specially prepared cathode in conjunction with incident light energy to increase the efficiency of that process. A preferred embodiment of this apparatus uses the photo collector/cathode which comprises a thin layer of metal, preferably nickel, deposited by electroplating or a similar technique onto a conductive surface (e.g., a sheet of copper metal). During the electrolysis process, the cathode is irradiated with light, thereby reducing the amount of electrical energy necessary to separate a given quantity of electrolytic material.

Abstract: The invention concerns a bipolar electrode with a semiconductor coating and a cathode, as well as a procedure for the electrolytic dissociation of water, especially for the recovery of hydrogen. The body material of the cathode and/or the anode in this procedure is preferably comprised of titanium or platinum coated titanium, whereby, on the anode an additional semiconductor coating is applied, said coating being preferentially titanium dioxide (TiO2), which is dosed with iron (Fe). The advantage of the bipolar electrode is that an increased volume of hydrogen per time unit can be recovered and further, with these bipolar electrodes a simple procedure at ambient surroundings and conditions is achieved without expensive equipment for hydrogen production. In addition the anode of the invented bipolar electrodes can also be radiated with UV-radiation for the purpose of an increase in efficiency.

Abstract: A bio-molecule analyzer includes an array of addressable light sources, a photoconductive layer of material having a layer of electrically conductive material on a surface thereof mounted on the array of addressable light sources, and a plurality of test sites on an opposing surface of the photoconductive layer of material defined by the plurality of light sources. A solution containing a plurality of bio-molecules is positioned in electrical contact with the plurality of test sites. An electrical potential is connected between the solution and the layer of electrically conductive material, whereby the array of addressable light sources emit beams of light through a plurality of portions of the photoconductive layer of material to define the test sites and complete electrical circuits between the layer of electrically conductive material and the solution.

Abstract: An improved process for providing hydrogen from an electrolytic cell having an anolyte solution having an anolyte liquid level; a catholyte solution having a catholyte liquid level; generating oxygen at an oxygen pressure above the anolyte level; generating hydrogen at a hydrogen pressure above the catholyte level; the improvement comprising detecting at least one of the anolyte and the catholyte liquid levels as anolyte level and catholyte level data; feeding the level data to central processing means; determining the pressure differential between the levels from the level data, and pressure adjustment data by the central processing means; and providing the adjustment data to pressure control means to maintain the pressure differential within a selected range. The process offers a low cost method of controlling the pressure differential to within 2 cm WC of a set point.

Abstract: A method of photoelectro-synthesizing probe arrays including the steps of providing a photoconductive layer of material having a layer of electrically conductive material on a first surface thereof and a solution of a plurality of a first oligonucleotide modified monomer positioned in electrical contact with an opposing second surface thereof such that a potential is connected therebetween. A beam of light is directed through a portion of the photoconductive layer of material to complete an electrical circuit between the layer of electrically conductive material and the solution through the portion of the photoconductive layer, whereby the monomers in the solution are electropolymerized on a surface area which is coupled into the electrical circuit by the beam of light.

Abstract: A photo cell and a photo cell array which have high photoelectric conversion efficiency, little leakage current, long life, and high reliability, as well as a electrolytic device that employs the cell and array. The photo cell (1) comprises: a base material (2) consisting of p-type semiconductor; a light receiving section (3) being an integral spherical part of the base material (2) which protrudes outward from the surface of the base (2), and has an n-type semiconductor layer formed on the surface of said spherical part, so that a pn junction interface is formed between the base material (2) and the semiconductor layer; a front surface electrode (4) formed from conductive material in ohmic contact with a portion of the surface of the aforementioned sphere; and a lower or back electrode (5) formed from conductive material on the bottom of the aforementioned base material (2), to provide ohmic contact.

Abstract: A photo-electric chemical apparatus comprising an electrolyte, a first electrode having an n-type semiconductor member disposed to be in touch with the electrolyte and a second electrode having a carbon cluster member disposed to be in touch with the electrolyte. The first and second electrodes are short-circuited and irradiated with a light beam to thereby generate oxygen and hydrogen. The first electrode is a laminated member consisting of a light transmitting glass, a transparent conducting layer and an n-type semiconductor layer. The second electrode is a laminated member consisting of a light transmitting glass, a transparent conducting layer and a carbon cluster thin film.

Abstract: There are provided a method of producing a hydrogen halide and oxygen by reacting water with a halogen using activated carbon as a catalyst, a method of producing hydrogen by thermal decomposition of a hydrogen halide using chromium oxide as a catalyst, and a method of producing oxygen and hydrogen by combining these two methods.

Abstract: The use of an aluminum foil is proposed for the chemical reduction of fluid and/or gas-like components, like CO.sub.2, and/or as a detector for electromagnetic radiation, e.g., in the ultra-violet spectrum. In this process the aluminum foil is subjected to a surface treatment which increases the surface coarseness. The coarse aluminum foil is placed as a negative electrode in an electrolyte bath containing the fluid and/or gas-like components which are to be reduced, thereby causing the aluminum foil to have a potential voltage. The coarse aluminum foil containing a potential voltage in the electrolyte bath is subjected to a photo emission process, e.g., placed under electromagnetic radiation which must be established, and the photo electric current is measured.