electrolyzer

I read that electrolysis on a sodium hydroxide solution gives H2 at the cathode and O2 at the anode, with the 1:2 ratio. So it's like electrolysis on water isn't it? Thus, does the process happen faster, like when adding sulphuric acid?

Can electrolysis be done on a sodium hydroxide solution? Or is it too dangerous??

I did it . The boom wasn't that impressive though. I think I used too few gas.

Is there some method to detonate the mixture?? Or should I just detonate with a match? I'm getting somewhat scared now to detonate the whole thing with an ordinary match lol....

To woelen Instead of gathering the gases seperatly, can I use the method I suggested, i.e, the one of the ballon. I would gather the gases in the same balloon, and I think the balloon is a much more safe conainer than a glass one, should an early detonation occur....

that's coooooooool...............I'll be cautious then lol.

Why should I use dish-washing soap?????

I like the idea of gathering gases directly into a balloon although it's true that it may sound somewhat "cumbersome". But I think it is possible. For example, you may use the arrangement I used for producing the gases, but instead of using two jars, you can use one of these 2ltr table water bottles(the plastic ones). You cut the top part, and put it onto the two electrodes. Then you attach the balloon with the part from which we usually drink from. I don't know if it could work. I'm just considering.

To woelen I used a rectangular plastic container, about 25 cm long and 12cm wide. I drilled two small holes at its bottom, 8 cm distant from each other. Then I extracted two carbon rods from two ordinary AA batteries(non-alkaline), and inserted them into the drilled holes(these I found extremely good as electrodes, since they are thicker than pencil carbon). The graphite rods were inserted such that 90% of them were exposed at the internal of the container(where water was poured). The other 10% was exposed at the bottom, outside the container. Then I poured molten wax to fill the gaps between the holes and the carbon rods. Then I used two copper wires, and attached them to the 10% of carbon which was exposed at the bottom. The copper wires were then connected to the power supply, more precisely, to a 12v DC supply. After pouring water, I used two jars of approx. 100ml, upside down, onto the two electrodes(you said you did something like this woelen). I didn't use any acid. It was tap water I was using for electrolysis. Tap water tends to be full of different minerals which are conductive. I think that's why I managed to collect so much gas in 1hr or so. At the cathode I produced 100ml of H2(the full jar), which immediately burned with a POP when I lit it up. At the anode I produced app. half a jar of oxygen. That's all. P.S. ---> Sorry for my English, I'm not English, nor American,nor Australian and neither Canadese.lol.

I've splitted water...perfectly done. I didn't use any acids to help the process, and however managed to collect about 100ml of H2 in about 1 hour 20 min. Btw, I like the idea of detonation gas.......it sounds interesting. How do I do it????

Actually, I have no specific plans of what to do with the gases. It's a technological project I'm working on. My aim is to explain the extraction of certain elements for industrial purposes (such as hydrogen) via the process of electrolysis(the ionic theory etc..)

Any idea of how to estimate some rate of production, like how much hydrogen and oxygen is being produced per minute?? I know that this all depends on the DC voltage and on the size of the electrode, as well as on the type of water being used. Is there an easy way to do this at home, or should I use some lab reader or something of that sort??

I'll add some sulphuric acid then. Chlorine is quite dangerous......

Well....common salt I guess, that which we use for food.

Hey.....thanks for your suggestions. I knew about the AC voltage..in fact the AC Adaptor is nothing but a transformer from AC to DC. What about adding a pinch of salt to help conduction through water???????

Hi, I'm new here. I am planning to split water by using two graphite electrodes taken from ordinary(non-alkaline) AA batteries.....using an AC adaptor (output varies from 0v-12v), a plastic beaker and two copper wires, gathering the products into these ordinary test-tubes. Do you think it can work?? And for electrolysis to take place into a copper sulphate solution, what electrodes should I use??.....Graphite or copper electrodes??....What is worrying me is that if I use copper electrodes I might obtain electroplating....which is not what I want. Thanks.