Multifunctional electrochemical devices

An electrochemical device, comprising:

• a first electrode and a second electrode separated by a distance and aligned substantially in parallel;
• a first conduit and a second conduit connected and electrically coupled to the first electrode and the second electrode, respectively, substantially perpendicular to the electrodes, wherein the configuration of the first and second electrodes and the first and second conduits form a unit cell structure;
• and
• a non-oxygenated substance coupled to the first electrode,
• wherein, when an electrolyte in a fluid is between the first and second electrodes, an electric potential applied across the first and second conduits induces oppositely charged sides of the first and second electrodes to form a cathode and an anode, respectively, and generates an electric field converting the electrolyte in an oxidative process that releases electrons captured at the anode and reducing the non-oxygenated substance to gain electrons at the cathode, thereby producing a chemical product and extracting energy from the electrolyte.

An electrochemical device, comprising:

• a first electrode and a second electrode separated by a distance and aligned substantially in parallel, wherein the first and second electrodes are formed of one or more layers of a synthetic crystalline material;
• and
• a first conduit and a second conduit connected and electrically coupled to the first electrode and the second electrode, respectively, substantially perpendicular to the electrodes, wherein the configuration of the first and second electrodes and the first and second conduits form a unit cell structure,
• wherein, when an electrolytic fluid is between the first and second electrodes, an electric potential applied across the first and second conduits induces oppositely charged sides of the first and second electrodes to form a cathode and an anode, respectively, and generates an electric field that converts constituents of the electrolytic fluid in a redox reaction catalyzed by the synthetic crystalline material of the first and second electrodes to cause oxidation of a reducing agent constituent to lose electrons captured at the anode and reduction of an oxidant to gain electrons at the cathode, thereby producing a chemical product and extracting energy from the electrolytic fluid.

A method to produce a fuel substance and electrical energy, comprising:

• supply water as an electrolyte to two or more interior cavities of an electrochemical device structured to include:
• a first electrode and a second electrode separated by a distance and aligned substantially in parallel, wherein the first and second electrodes are formed of one or more layers of a synthetic crystalline material,
• a first conduit and a second conduit connected and electrically coupled to the first electrode and the second electrode, respectively, substantially perpendicular to the electrodes,
• a housing structure formed of a chemically inert and electrically insulative material coupled to the first and second conduits and enclosing the first and second electrodes, and
• two or more interior boundary walls coupled to the housing structure and arranged substantially in parallel between the first and second electrodes to form the two or more interior cavities;
• releasing a reactant substance through the one or more layers of the synthetic crystalline material of the first electrode into a first interior cavity of the two or more interior cavities;
• applying a electric potential at the first and second conduits to produce intermediary chemical products, wherein the applied electric potential generates an electric field across the first and second electrodes to form a cathode and an anode and cause chemical conversion of the released reactant substance and the electrolyte in the first interior cavity catalyzed by the synthetic crystalline material of the first electrode;
• selectively transferring at least one of the produced intermediary chemical products to a second interior cavity of the two or more interior cavities;
• wherein the generated electric field causes chemical conversion of the selectively transferred reactant substance and the electrolyte in the second interior cavity catalyzed by the synthetic crystalline material of the second electrode to produce a chemical fuel,
• wherein the chemical conversions release electrical charge carriers extracted as electrical energy at the electrodes.

An electrochemical device, comprising:

• a first electrode and a second electrode separated by a distance and aligned substantially in parallel, wherein the first and second electrodes are formed of one or more layers of a synthetic crystalline material;
• and
• a first conduit and a second conduit connected and electrically coupled to the first electrode and the second electrode, respectively, substantially perpendicular to the electrodes, wherein the configuration of the first and second electrodes and the first and second conduits form a unit cell structure;
• wherein an applied electrical potential across the first and second electrodes produces a chemical product and extracts energy from an electrolyte when supplied between the first and second electrodes.