Membraneless electrochemical cell and microfluidic device without pH constraint

An electrochemical cell, comprising:

• (a) a first electrode,
• (b) a second electrode,
• (c) a first fluid, in contact with the first electrode, and
• (d) a second fluid, in contact with the second electrode,
• wherein the first fluid and the second fluid are in parallel laminar flow, and the first fluid enters the electrochemical cell with a pH different from the second fluid,
• the cell is a galvanic cell,
• the cell is a fuel cell,
• the first fluid comprises a hydrocarbon, and
• the first fluid has a pH of at least 9.

An electrochemical cell, comprising:

• (a) a first electrode,
• (b) a second electrode,
• (c) a first fluid, in contact with the first electrode, and
• (d) a second fluid, in contact with the second electrode,
• wherein the first fluid and the second fluid are in parallel laminar flow, and the first fluid enters the electrochemical cell with a pH different from the second fluid,
• the cell is a galvanic cell,
• the cell is a fuel cell, and
• the electrochemical cell produces a precipitate.

A fuel cell, comprising:

• (a) an anode,
• (b) a cathode,
• (c) an anodic fluid, in contact with the anode, and
• (d) a cathodic fluid, in contact with the cathode,
• wherein the anodic fluid and the cathodic fluid are in parallel laminar flow, and at least one of the anodic fluid and the cathodic fluid enters the fuel cell with a pH above 7.5, wherein fuel for the fuel cell comprises a hydrocarbon.

A method of generating electricity, comprising:

• flowing a first and second liquid through a channel in parallel laminar flow;
• wherein the first fluid is in contact with a first electrode and the second liquid is in contact with a second electrode,
• complementary half cell reactions take place at the first and the second electrodes, respectively, and
• a precipitate is produced.