On-demand Hydrogen Production Through Aluminum-Water Reaction Enabled by Aluminum Nanoparticles and NaOH Nano-composite Coating

Abstract

The aluminum-water reaction for hydrogen production exhibits significant potential in the energy sector due to its low cost and high hydrogen density. However, the great challenge of controlling the aluminum-water reaction’s kinetics hinders its application advancement. This study proposes polymer-encapsulated aluminum nanoparticles (Al NPs) and NaOH nanocomposite coating for on-demand hydrogen production via aluminum-water reaction. By monitoring the coating reaction process using scanning electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction, the results indicate that fibrous AlO(OH) gradually forms on the Al NP surface during the reaction, eventually transforming entirely into bulk Al(OH)₃. Furthermore, by adjusting the size of Al NPs (50–1000 nm), the mass fraction of Al NPs, and the hydrophilicity/hydrophobicity of the polymer matrix, the hydrogen production rate can be regulated within the range of 0.08–9.65 mL·s⁻¹·g⁻¹. Finally, multiple interval reactions were adopted to verify the effectiveness of water-controlled on-demand hydrogen production. This strategy overcomes the dependence of the aluminum-water reaction on extensive alkali solution, providing new insights for the development of hydrogen production.

Keywords

Aluminum-water reaction / Aluminum nanoparticle / Polymer matrix / Kinetic control / On-demand hydrogen production

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RIGHTS & PERMISSIONS

Jilin University, The Editorial Department of Chemical Research in Chinese Universities and Springer-Verlag GmbH