The Effect of NaHCO3 as Catalyst via Electrolysis

Introduction

 Nowadays, energy has always been the primary focus of mankind and it continues to drive the economy through a series of technological advances. The energy-based industrial and scientific revolution, places a demand on researchers and industries to produce sustainable energy technologies. Hydrogen is considered as an idea for future energy carrier. It can be produced from renewable energy.¹ One of the most promising methods for hydrogen production is water electrolysis using various energy sources which can be obtained from solar, geothermal, hydroelectric and nuclear.² A basic water electrolysis unit consists of an anode, a cathode, power supply, and an electrolyte³ and does not causes air pollution.⁴ Nowadays most of the hydrogen in this world is from fossil fuels. Conversion of chemical energy that stored in fossil fuels or in nuclear processes has been the major contributor for the world’s energy demand. However the combustion of fossil fuels spews out toxic substances like COx, NOx, SOx etc, into the air and cause air pollution.  Hydrogen plays a key role as an energy storage media and it can be generated by various techniques. The production of Hydrogen via water electrolysis is still considered to be the low cost alternative way, if energy efficient techniques are established. The main advantage of electrolysis is very pure hydrogen gas can be produced, unlike other processes. Water electrolysis is often considered as the preferred method of hydrogen production as it is the only process that need not rely on fossil fuels. It also has the high product purity, and is feasible on small and large scales.⁵

Currently, the studies of hydrogen via electrolysis that considering the effect of current distance between the electrode, and the temperature on efficiency of alkaline water electrolysis at a particular concentration of the solution is popular among the researchers. In previous research, catalysts are used in electrolysis as electrolyte with water or without water to produce more hydrogen gas. Catalyst that used currently are potassium hydroxide (4,5), methanol,⁶  sulphuric acid (1), ammonia⁷ and so on. For this research, NaHCO₃ are used as catalyst via electrolysis and no one researcher are reported about NaHCO₃.

The main objective in this study is to see the performance electrolysis system using NaHCO3 as catalyst and the rate of hydrogen produce using NaHCO₃ as electrolyte. All this experiment doing in under room temperature.

Methodology

Sample Preparation

In this research, electrolyte solutions were prepared using NaOH and NaHCO₃ at different concentration and deionized water. The concentrations of the samples were listed in the Table 1. The electrodes used were stainless steel electrode.⁸ Stainless steel 316 with geometrical area 11 cm² were used.⁹ The electrodes were polished before used.

 

Table 1: The concentration of the NaHCO₃ and NaOH respectively.

Sample	1	2	3	4	5
Concentration	0.2 M	0.4 M	0.6 M	0.8 M	1.0 M

Weight Loss Measurement

 The weight loss measurement is a classical way to determine the corrosion effect of electrode after electrolysis occurred. The initial weight of electrode (w₀) and the final weight of electrode after electrolysis process (w₁) were weighed.

Experiment Apparatus

The container with height 60 cm x 30 cm x 30 cm was built, to measure the hydrogen gas. After that, a beaker with volume of 1000 ml was placed upside down inside the container. Then, water was poured into the container until the 1000 ml beaker is filled with water. Before that, a tube was plastered on the beaker and attached to the electrolysis device. 12V of power supply was used during the electrolysis process. Gas that was produced during the electrolysis process was delivered through the tube into the beaker in the container. Throughout that process, the water level inside the beaker was reduced. Time reading adopt for gas production was taken when the water level inside the beaker was from 0 ml to 200 ml, 400 ml, 600 ml, 800 ml, and 1000 ml. When the level of water achieves the point of 1000ml, electrolysis process halted and the samples undergo further electrolysis process.

In order to verify the amount gas produced by stainless steel electrode, parameter as follows are control such as the gap between two electrode, the size of electrode, various the voltage input for alkaline water electrolysis model and vertically the setting of electrode. The experimental water electrolysis test model was shown in Fig. 1 and the component used in test model is listed in Table 1. Five test model based on NaHCO₃ (0.2 M – 1.0 M) was produced. The components that listed in Table 1 were set up before experiment was started. The electrode in vertical position in the electrolysis container with the electrolyte and the experiment was started function. The voltage, current, weight of electrode, pH solution and the water mass before and after the test are measured and the rate of production are calculate in 1 hour for different concentration electrolyte. This experiment was repeated using NaOH and water without catalyst.

 

 

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