Making Hydrogen

ah right thanks I guessed it was probably the hydrogen tube we used as a "candle" but the teacher did it all not the sort of thing he was going to let us mess with

I found that producing hydrogen by a chemical method was quicker than electrolysis

Chemical
Hydrogen was made from Hydrochloric acid + Zinc.
(Hydro and Sulphuric acids can be easily obtained in the UK. Zinc is used on roofs)

Oxygen could be made from Hydrogen Peroxide and Manganese Dioxide (removed from old zinc carbon batteries and washing out the ammonium and zinc chlorides)


Electrolysis
For electrodes I used carbon rods (removed from old zinc carbon batteries) placed in a plastic bucket.
Gases were collected by the “displacement of water in an inverted vessel” method. I put a funnel into 2 plastic soft drink bottles and then inverted these bottles over each set of carbon electrodes in the bucket. (The bottles were full of water). A small drop of acid was added to the water in the bucket

A cylinder stat was attached to the side of the bucket. The AC supply was connected in series through the stat and a current limiter to a bridge rectifier which provided the DC for the carbon rod electrodes.

This was all done outside under a tarp – NEVER try this in an unventilated area.
-The rate of gas production was very disappointing

Inflating Ballooons
I epoxied 2 tubes into a bottle stopper. This stopper was put on the bottle which had the collected gas. The balloon was attached to 1 of the tubes from the stopper, the other tube was connected to a water tap. The pressure from the water tap would fill the balloon with the gas from the bottle.

WARNING.
KEEP OUT OF SUNLIGHT
If you are mixing hydrogen and oxygen then be aware that it can explode if exposed to sunlight or even a bright light.

STATIC
If you’re using balloons be careful about producing static from rubbing the balloons

DON’T STORE GASES in balloons or soft drink bottles – they are both porous to gas.

Has anyone mentioned that purchasing hydrogen gas for experimental purposes is as simple as going to a local welding supply shop with an aproved canister?

CheapSlider said:

WARNING.
KEEP OUT OF SUNLIGHT
If you are mixing hydrogen and oxygen then be aware that it can explode if exposed to sunlight or even a bright light.

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I would assume that's caused by ionising radiation, all that's needed is some UV photons to come in and srtirp a few electrons off a couple of oxygen and hydrogen molecules and bang! I wonder if and x and gamma rays in the back ground radiation could have the same effect. Putting a balloon filled with hydrogen and oxygen next to a smoke alarm is probably not a bright idea.

DON’T STORE GASES in balloons or soft drink bottles – they are both porous to gas.

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There again storing mixtures of hydrogen and oxygen is pretty stupid anyway.

I suppose hydrogen molecules are smaller than oxygen molecules so theres more chance of them slipping though the seals.

Marks256 said:

Yes, i am sorry, H3O is heavy water. Yes, H2O2 Is correct, so you will get equal amounts of each.



Also, correct. I meant aluminum, and copper. I have used many combinations, and it has been a while, so my memory is kinda foggy. Copper corrodes fast, though. Aluminum works great, but after some time, it may need replacing. Salt is ok. If you plan on using salt, i would suggest using Distilled water, with some salt in it. It works very well! Sorry for the mix ups! It has been about 2 years since i played with this stuff.

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Use zinc anode and copper cathode, they work wonders!

Hey buy some distilled water from gas station add few drops of h2so4 in it an use a 1A 12v transformer use the rectifier with it ..rectifier consisting of 4 diodes and an capacitor is preferred ....use rolled aluminium foil as electrodes as this will increase surface area and split water fast

I bought a inverter transformer with input of 3VDC and output of 200VAC, and Im going to try out some electrolsys, but I was wondering how big of an explosion it would make! (water wont explode like this, i think...)

Storing mixtures of hydrogen and oxygen in bottles is dangerous? Uh oh, I filed a bottle with H2O and put it in the fridge, I hope it is going to be OK in the morning...

Be careful, you could wake up to...

COLD WATER!!!

Does anyone know the correct (or optimal) ratio when mixing Potassium Hydroxide (I am using pellets) to water for an electrolytic solution?

Thanks in advance.

br

Until the Ph is 7.0.

Experimentally that can be determined by first making a saturated solution from the pellets, then adding it incrementally to water with electrodes in it connected to an ohmmeter. When your resistance no longer drops after adding more lye, you'll have your concentration.

This guy John Aarons has already posted 181 videos on Youtube with 98% of them on producing hydrogen through electrolysis https://www.youtube.com/user/johnaarons
His web site with parts and complete systems for sale:
https://hydrogentap.com/hydrogentap_001.htm
Other sites for parts:
**broken link removed**

A huge source for information on Hydrogen production through a variety of methods with forums.
https://my.opera.com/H2earth/blog/cybrarium

Some general guidelines:

1. Use distilled water to give you a base line to start experimenting and other wise the minerals in tap water will eventually turn the water into a mud like goop.
2. Use stainless steel electrodes either flat or tube.
3. Use just a pinch of Lye,the amount depends on many things,volts,amps,amount of water,total surface area of the electrodes and their spacing.
4. Too high amps will create run-away heating.
5. Use outdoors or VERY well ventilitated areas for SHORT durations.There are ways to prevent explosions, bubblers, water filled U tubes and silicate sand supported by screens and fiberglass cloth.**broken link removed** Also google "hollow-fiber membrane gas separation"

Hydrogen and oxygen

Strange as it may seem whatever you use for anodes will change the resulting gasses.
That is: lead will create hydrogen and iron oxide.
For hydrogen and oxygen use stainless steel rods.

Fritzzer said:

Strange as it may seem whatever you use for anodes will change the resulting gasses.
That is: lead will create hydrogen and iron oxide.

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Uh, water and lead create iron? Sounds like you're doing alchemy. You have hydrogen, oxygen, and lead - where's the iron coming from?

Also, since when is iron oxide a gas?

Iron oxide is rust.
Maybe electrolysis of water using lead electrodes makes hydrogen gas and lead oxide corrosion on the lead electrode then it doesn't conduct anymore.

iron oxide from lead

where does the iron come from? it comes from the transition of electrons from lead to impurities in the water.
I use distilled water and still get iron oxide.
A better question would be what is the brown sludge produced when you use two stainless steel electrodes?
Speaking of alchemy while bubbling hydrogen through a bottle of soapy water I witnessed a burning fire at the end of the hose. could not believe my eyes and doubted I had realy seen it but after removing the hose found it had actually been burned and melted.
That is amazing.
Thanks for your reply.

Fritzzer said:

where does the iron come from? it comes from the transition of electrons from lead to impurities in the water.
I use distilled water and still get iron oxide.

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You truly are an alchemist. Transmutation in your kitchen.

A better question would be what is the brown sludge produced when you use two stainless steel electrodes?

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Yes, a much better question. Answer, probably iron oxide.

Speaking of alchemy while bubbling hydrogen through a bottle of soapy water I witnessed a burning fire at the end of the hose. could not believe my eyes and doubted I had really seen it but after removing the hose found it had actually been burned and melted.
That is amazing.
Thanks for your reply.

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What did you expect to happen. Hydrogen burns!!! This is like being surprised that gasoline burns.

Mike. (who should know better than to answer posts like this but couldn't resist.)

There is real stainless steel and there is poor quality steel that should not be called "stainless".
You get what you pay for.

A plastic hose at the bottom of a jar of water should not ignite itself and burn.
Audio you are correct about stainless quality, but whatever the brown sludge substance is that is formed in this process needs further exploration.
A professor at a local university said to bath the stainless rods in alchahol (spellings not my thing) and this stopped the sludge but also reduced considerably the amount of hydrogen production.
By the way I have just passed the seventh month of using this process on my car and have consistantly gotten 30% better mileage.