Being the most abundant element in the universe, hydrogen is a clean and non-toxic energy source and more efficient than any other source of energy. Let me tell you how to make hydrogen for your car.
The easiest method of making hydrogen is the electrolysis of water. The electrolysis involves two electrodes, usually of stainless steel, the electrolyte which can be any salt dissolved in water, but better use KOH, and the sealed jar in which all the above are placed together. When a voltage above 2,2 volt is applied on the electrolyzer plates, the water molecules will dissociate into hydrogen at cathode at the negative and oxygen at the positive electrode.
Making hydrogen with water electrolysis is a power consuming process. The amount of power obtained from burning the hydrogen is equal with the amount of power used to dissociate the water and make the hydrogen. In other words it is inefficient to make hydrogen through electrolysis and then burn it. However, injecting hydrogen in the burning chambers of your car’s engine will increase the power of the blast and burn the fuel completely.
If electrolysis is not efficient to make the hydrogen for your car, other approaches should be considered. Just keep in mind that handling hydrogen is very dangerous and caution is advised when dealing with it. Hydrogen ignites very easy in the presence of oxygen and the hydrogen blast propagates extremely fast. Due to the small atom size, the hydrogen can evade the container in which it is stored.
Hydrogen can also be made by steam-methane reforming. This method produces large amounts of hydrogen and it is used especially in industrial sites for local use. During the process of steam-reforming methane carbon monoxide and dioxide are released to the atmosphere increasing the greenhouse effects.
Another method of producing hydrogen is the oxidation of iron with water at high temperatures. The method was first time used by Lavoisier for his experiments and it is called anaerobic corrosion.
Let’s see how to make hydrogen for your car by other means than electrolysis or steam-methane reforming.
In laboratory hydrogen can be produced with metal-acid reactions.
Also hydrogen can be obtained by oxidizing aluminum with water. To do it it is enough to drop some aluminum in a solution of sodium hydroxide (lye) and water. The lye will consume the aluminum oxide surface leaving space for water to oxidize the raw aluminum and release the hydrogen. The gas obtained is then cleaned and cooled through a simple process of bubbling.
For the aluminum oxidizing reaction you can use any aluminum can from soda or beer. just keep in mind that the paint on the top blocks the lye to react properly. Sand away the paint for best results.
Now that you know how to make hydrogen for your car be warned that these chemical reactions are extremely dangerous and caution should be taken.
