Electrolysis of Water

[serg18 10+ year member]

Potassium hydroxide would lol

 

[serg18 10+ year member]

I'm most definitely sure it would work because they use it in machines to create oxygen vessels

 

[RKPsk8er 10+ year member]

yeah. I dont know how much it would cost, or how hard it would be to get ahold of.

 

[Trey803 5,000+ posts]

I think you need to take some chemistry and physics classes before attempting this

 

[GearGuy2001 10+ year member]

Also electrolysis doesnt work with AC, You need DC so your amp wouldnt work.

 

[cobra65427289 10+ year member]

Hahaha, KOH wouldn't work too well in this application if you're doing this yourself, its a strong base. There are much safer alternatives if you're looking for an electrolyte. Such as a salt. If you live near the ocean you could use sea water and come out pretty good. Or you could even begin with acetic acid (vinegar). Hahaha!

 

[RKPsk8er 10+ year member]

I think you need to take some chemistry and physics classes before attempting this

I'm taking chemistry. thats whats got me interested in this. its not that difficult of a concept. I'm willing the bet most of the vids of people on youtube weren't made by chem majors and physicists.

 

[Trey803 5,000+ posts]

One important use of electrolysis of water is to produce hydrogen.

2H2O(l) → 2H2(g) + O2(g)

This has been suggested as a way of shifting society toward using hydrogen as an energy carrier for powering electric motors and internal combustion engines. (See hydrogen economy.)

Electrolysis of water can be observed by passing direct current from a battery or other DC power supply through a cup of water (in practice a salt water solution increases the reaction intensity making it easier to observe). Using platinum electrodes, hydrogen gas will be seen to bubble up at the cathode, and oxygen will bubble at the anode. If other metals are used as the anode, there is a chance that the oxygen will react with the anode instead of being released as a gas, or that the anode will dissolve. For example, using iron electrodes in a sodium chloride solution electrolyte, iron oxides will be produced at the anode. With zinc electrodes in a sodium chloride electrolyte, the anode will dissolve, producing zinc ions (Zn2+) in the solution, and no oxygen will be formed. When producing large quantities of hydrogen, the use of reactive metal electrodes can significantly contaminate the electrolytic cell - which is why iron electrodes are not usually used for commercial electrolysis. Electrodes made of stainless steel can be used because they will not react with the oxygen.

The energy efficiency of water electrolysis varies widely. The efficiency is a measure of what fraction of electrical energy used is actually contained within the hydrogen. Some of the electrical energy is converted to heat, a useless by-product. Some reports quote efficiencies between 50% and 70%[1] This efficiency is based on the Lower Heating Value of Hydrogen. The Lower Heating Value of Hydrogen is total thermal energy released when hydrogen is combusted minus the latent heat of vaporisation of the water. This does not represent the total amount of energy within the hydrogen, hence the efficiency is lower than a more strict definition. Other reports quote the theoretical maximum efficiency of electrolysis as being between 80% and 94%.[2]. The theoretical maximum considers the total amount of energy absorbed by both the hydrogen and oxygen. These values refer only to the efficiency of converting electrical energy into hydrogen's chemical energy. The energy lost in generating the electricity is not included. For instance, when considering a power plant that converts the heat of nuclear reactions into hydrogen via electrolysis, the total efficiency is more likely to be between 25% and 40%.[3]

 

[solidcrowd 10+ year member]

what about gatorade...

 

[Haunz 10+ year member]

I'm taking chemistry. thats whats got me interested in this. its not that difficult of a concept. I'm willing the bet most of the vids of people on youtube weren't made by chem majors and physicists.

You are taking chemistry ? well I think in grade 9 highschool chem we did electrolysis... yes, I remember quite clearly catching shit for dropping a match into a 1L graduated cylinder I had just filled with hydrogen durring the experiment.. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/biggrin.gif.d71a5d36fcbab170f2364c9f2e3946cb.gif

And yes, you need DC to preform electrolysis.. AC won't work.. and I hate to burst your bubble but the first law of thermodynamics is the reason why using your alt/battery to make hydrogen to burn in your engine will not increase your MPG..

 

[RKPsk8er 10+ year member]

You are taking chemistry ? well I think in grade 9 highschool chem we did electrolysis... yes, I remember quite clearly catching shit for dropping a match into a 1L graduated cylinder I had just filled with hydrogen durring the experiment.. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/biggrin.gif.d71a5d36fcbab170f2364c9f2e3946cb.gif

And yes, you need DC to preform electrolysis.. AC won't work.. and I hate to burst your bubble but the first law of thermodynamics is the reason why using your alt/battery to make hydrogen to burn in your engine will not increase your MPG..

yes, but in college not highschool. and I can see why you'd get in trouble for that.

i never claimed that AC would work. im trying to determine if it will give a different result. that was kind of the point in the thread. from what i've read, using ac current will create hydrogen but since the current is alternating, both the cathode and the anode will produce hydrogen and oxygen. and yes, you can increase mpg by adding hydrogen to the mixture of fuel and air but you have to trick the O2 sensors into leaning out the mixture so hydrogen makes up the difference.

explain what the first law of thermodynamics has to do with this.

 

[Lingerfelt 10+ year member]

You are taking chemistry ? well I think in grade 9 highschool chem we did electrolysis... yes, I remember quite clearly catching shit for dropping a match into a 1L graduated cylinder I had just filled with hydrogen durring the experiment.. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/biggrin.gif.d71a5d36fcbab170f2364c9f2e3946cb.gif

That's lame, using a match was how we were supposed to test for hydrogen. We were told to do it. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif

 

[Trey803 5,000+ posts]

That's lame, using a match was how we were supposed to test for hydrogen. We were told to do it. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif

my highschool chem teacher liked to make methane bubbles with dishwashing soap and they would make a BIG boom

 

[Lingerfelt 10+ year member]

my highschool chem teacher liked to make methane bubbles with dishwashing soap and they would make a BIG boom

My high school chem teacher got 1/3 of our high school blocked off after he broke open an old mercury thermometer.

 

[Haunz 10+ year member]

That's lame, using a match was how we were supposed to test for hydrogen. We were told to do it. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif

apparently my teacher didn't think it was a very innovative idea.. funny what Lingerfelt mentions also cause I just about got suspended for bringing in some mercury to class and asking about it.. (it's considered hazardous)