Generation of Hydrogen Using an Alloy

[zking786]

I was wondering whether there are any chemists who can help me find an alloy which will decompose water into hydrogen and oxygen at a rapid rate. I have very limited chemistry knowledge and any assistance or knowledge you can provide me with will be greatly appreciated. I have been told Zinc would work. But is this inexpensive and what rate of hydrogen production is expected. I was told that there is an inexpensive alloy which can act as a catalyst and rapidly split water (no one wants to divulge the name!). Anyone have any ideas?

[YT2095]

there is an alloy and I forgot it`s name (I`m not being evassive) IIRC it`s a copper and zinc alloy (not brass) that will split water, but it`s not very fast. I think it`s <something> metal, now to find the something, leave it with me a bit, the book to look it up in is not only ancient but rather big too!

[rthmjohn]

There are many easier, more efficient, and inexpensive ways to generate hydrogen at home. But if you insist on using a metal or alloy... I don't know of any ALLOYS, but i do know that aluminum reacts with water to produce hydrogen and aluminum hydroxide. You can't just mix aluminum foil and water though. You have to put aluminum in a solution of sodium hydroxide, and then the aluminum oxide coating will vanish allowing the aluminum to react with water releasing decent amounts of H2 gas. Check out this link for instructions: http://www.pc.chemie.uni-siegen.de/pci/versuche/english/v44-10.html

[budullewraagh]

NaK alloy works a charm

[DQW]

But don't these alloys (also the Cu and Ni ferrites) oxidize in water (releasing hydrogen, of course) ? But they don't evolve gaseous oxygen, do they ? Or is it easy to recover the oxygen by heating the oxide or somesuch ?

[zking786]

I saw a website where a guy run his engine off of hydrogen he used a "metal alloy" which is extremely inexpensive (4hrs of running a generator will cost about $0.005 CAD!). Here is a link, you can see for yourself:http://www.spiritofmaat.com/archive/watercar/waterenginehq.ram . I'm trying to create a simillar setup, but need to find out what his alloy is (he doesn't want to divulge its name). Anyone know of an alloy or an ellement that is this inexpensive and will produce as large quantities of hydrogen as seen in the video?

[YT2095]

you`ll get no alloy that will liberate the 2 without reacting, even Alkali peroxides will react making water from the products.

 

 

Hmmm.. Original Poster, do you want Both Hydrogen AND Oxygen, or just the Hydrogen?

[zking786]

The website I posted only discusses hydrogen being produced; however, I think that since he is injecting it directly into a carburator it must be a mixture of both hydrogen and oxygen. If it produces both, it must not generate too much heat (we don't want a premature explosion!).

[YT2095]

he`ll not be using neat O2 then

 

injecting the H2 into would be the way I`de go also, but Air as the mix only

[zking786]

Just curious, why would oxygen production relate to heat. I'm a beginning chemistry student, so please keep it basic . Also, I think the solution you suggested (producing only hydrogen) is a better idea, so lets go with that.

[akcapr]

its not a metal that hes adding to the water, its an "electrolyte" as they call it in the video. the metal stick thingy in the end is a thing they are testing tosee if it can be developed for something. but ya, hes only adding an "electrolyte" to the water in the cylinders.

[zking786]

I forgot to mention, that! It is an electrolyte NOT water. The metal alloy, if you research, acts as a catalyst and somehow (I think) reacts with the oxygen in the water so as to allow only hydrogen to be liberated. That's about all I know. Why would they use an electrolyte?

[YT2095]

probably sodium hydroxide and Aluminium metal then, sounds like a simple jackson generator to me.

[zking786]

Does that generate hydrogen fast? Forgive me for my basic questions, but how would I create an alloy that has NaOH and Al?

[YT2095]

you can`t, you dissolve the NaOH in the water (that becomes your electolyte).

THEN you can add the alloy

 

either duralumin or magnalium, both will work just fine, the magnalium will have the edge though

 

as for "FAST" hell yeah! it`ll be exponential when the elecrolyte gets up to temp, in fact you`ll need some sort of cooling aparatus to contain it!

 

starts slow and then builds up, and builds up, and builds up.....

[Lance]

The NaOH would be dissolved in the water, the aluminum would be pure-ish. Sodium hydroxide (NaOH) is lye and is sold as Red Devil Lye at the hardware store. Be careful with it though, it creates nasty burns.

[weldermanx]

drop a cunk of lithium in water stick a nail in it so it sinks that will get you hydrogen ina hurry and wont ignite like potassium or sodium unless you use very thin pieces. i get all my lithium froma abttery store... just ask the guys for dead lithium batteries( camera kind not those lil disks) cut them open ans pull out the strips. use mineral spirits or a very light oil cuz lithium is an alkali metal and will oxidize very quickly. a little oxygen and water absorber found in some food packs is really helpfull too