Hydrogen Catalyst

[Draco_Aster]

I am trying to alloy aluminium, sodium, and lead. The process requires an inert atmosphere and a temperature of 900*C. This is explained in US patent "US 6,969,417 B2" which you can get from www.freepatentsonline.com or I can email it to you.

The alloy is claimed to freely catalyse water into its gasseus componets (oxygen and hydrogen).

 

If anybody has a furnace and is capable of containing it in an inert atmosphere (helium/argon) I would like you to PM me.

[Rogue Chemist]

I have the ability to work in argon atmosphere, seal under vaccuum in a quartz tube, and place in a thermostatically controlled furnace at the lab I work at. I can go in late and do whatever. I do not have the ability to pour the molten alloy into moulds in an inert atmosphere. As soon as I can be in the lab and the post doc is not endangering everyone with uranium oxide dust(might be a week from now or so), I will seal these metals in a niobium tube under argon, seal the niobium tube in an ampoule, toss in furnace at 900 for a few hours, slowly cool, then smash open and see what happens.

Sound good?

I will then try to test the gasses produced with water to see if both oxygen and hydrogen are produced by sparking in an inverted testtube filled with the gassesby water displacement.

[Draco_Aster]

Wow. I didn't think many people would have THAT kind of access to an inert furnace. Has anybody here read the patent? Seems to make sense to me. Afterall, what happens when you add sodium to water

[Rogue Chemist]

I skimmed it. Not really sure that oxygen is actually formed. Only one way to find out

[FrankRizzo]

Industrial Chemistry

Emil Raymond Riegel

5th Edition 1949

Reinhold Publishing Company, New York

 

Page 373

 

In the ferrosilicon process, powdered ferrosilicon containing as much as silicon as

possible (90 per cent is frequent) is added to a 20 per cent solution of caustic

soda at a temperature of 80o to 90o C.; very pure hydrogen is produced.

Aluminum in the form of shavings also gives hydrogen with a solution of caustic

soda. An alloy of sodium and lead reacts with water to give hydrogen, again with

high purity (hydrone)*. These three processes serve for military purposes and as

supplementary plants for emergency of rapid operations. In addition to these,

portable hydrogen manufacturing plants carried on truck were built for Army use

in the recent war, in which methanol and steam react catalytically to produce

hydrogen and carbon dioxide. The reaction is exothermic, and outside heat if

furnished by flue gases which pass through the converter, heating the outside of

the catalyst-containing tubes. The temperature in the converter is 500o F. (260o

C.) The carbon dioxide produced

 

CH3OH+H2O -> 3H2+CO2,

 

is scrubbed out in a monoethanolamine solution.

 

*Hydrone® is an alloy of 35% Na and 65% Pb. "Small, irregular lumps which on

contact with water yield pure hydrogen gas (2.6 cu. ft. per lb.) and leaves a

residue of lead-sponge and NaOH solution." Merck Index.

[psymon]

What are you going to use the hydrogen for? I would Love to get some of this catalyst so i can make a hydrogen generator for my car. If you are successful making it can you sell me some?

[FrankRizzo]

Do not run your combustion engine on hydrogen. While it will definitely work for a while, the hydrogen will pack into the crystal lattice of the metal that your engine is made of and make it brittle. Also, the water that is generated will literally rust your engine from the inside out.

 

Run an old lawnmower engine on it for a while if you wanna experiment.

[Draco_Aster]

I'll let you know that if it does work only small amounts are needed. But what a great source of energy, this is really for my Dad because he is really into the whole alternative energy thing and has done years of experimentation.

 

EDIT: took out unnecessary details.

[psymon]

I wasnt going to run the engine on pure hydrogen, just inject a little like described on this web page

 

http://www.chechfi.ca/pdfs/hydrogen_injection.pdf

 

Seems you can use 30% less fossil fuel if u put a bit of hydrogen in the mix.

[Draco_Aster]

Sorry I have been gone for so long Any updates here Rogue? I'm sorry I'm not much of a help but....yah....I don't really have an inert furnace

[Rogue Chemist]

They will allow me lab access, but it has not been safe in there for quite some time...I no longer work there, and classes have started again.

So it might happen, might not. We shall see.

[h0lx]

It really can't be called a catalyst...

[Can you say amateur?]

It does lower the activation energy of the reaction though correct? Seeing how you no longer need the electrical current to break the chemical bonds, I would argue that it can be called a catalyst.

[h0lx]

It reacts with water, it doesen't speed up a reaction, what a catalyst does.

[Rogue Chemist]

Catalysts also can provide differernt reaction mechanisms or pathways. Or lower the activation energy(and thus increase rate like you said) of a chemical reaction.

 

I can see this being a catalyst, but this does seem dangerously close to the sodium in the alloy reacting with water in the standard way. I am scepical until I give it a shot.

[Swany]

Yeah, seems as if the sodium would react which could perhaps form an amorphous block of Al/Pb? It would be interesting, but I doubt it. I do not see how it can be a catalyst, unless if the Na reacts, but is reduced back from hydrated Al or some whatever the whatever happens. Well, I am eager for you to try it, it you feel so inclined.

[h0lx]

yes, but catalyst needs to stay in the same form and mass after reaction;)

[Swany]

Well aware, which is why I am implying it seems odd. Everyone seems to think it odd, rightfully so I guess.

 

Now it's going to bug me until someone tries it.

[h0lx]

also, if it would just catalyse the decomposition, and wouldn't react, you would have perpetum mobile on your hands basically...