IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jeners/v15y2022i7p2356-d778179.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

The Hydrolysis of Ball-Milled Aluminum–Bismuth–Nickel Composites for On-Demand Hydrogen Generation

Author

Listed:
  • Jamey Davies

    (Hydrogen South Africa (HySA) Infrastructure, Faculty of Engineering, North-West University (NWU), Private Bag X6001, Potchefstroom 2520, South Africa)

  • Stephanus P. Du Preez

    (Hydrogen South Africa (HySA) Infrastructure, Faculty of Engineering, North-West University (NWU), Private Bag X6001, Potchefstroom 2520, South Africa)

  • Dmitri G. Bessarabov

    (Hydrogen South Africa (HySA) Infrastructure, Faculty of Engineering, North-West University (NWU), Private Bag X6001, Potchefstroom 2520, South Africa)

Abstract

The hydrolysis of aluminum (Al) is a promising method for on-demand hydrogen generation for low-power proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) applications. In this study, Al composites were mechanochemically activated using bismuth (Bi) and nickel (Ni) as activation compounds. The main objective was to determine the effects of Bi and Ni on Al particles during mechanochemical processing, and the hydrolysis activity of the Al-Bi-Ni composites. Successfully formulated ternary Al-Bi-Ni composites were hydrolyzed with de-ionized water under standard ambient conditions to determine the reactivity of the composite (extent of hydrogen production). Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) showed that Bi and Ni were distributed relatively uniformly throughout the Al particles, resulting in numerous micro-galvanic interactions between the anodic Al and cathodic Bi/Ni during hydrolysis reaction. The addition of >1 wt% Ni resulted in incomplete activation of Al, and such composites were non-reactive. All successfully prepared composites had near-complete hydrogen yields. X-ray diffraction (XRD) showed that no mineralogical interaction occurred between Al, Bi, and/or Ni. The main phases detected were Al, Bi, and minute traces of Ni (ascribed to low Ni content). In addition, the effect of the mass ratio (mass Al:mass water) and water quality were also determined.

Suggested Citation

  • Jamey Davies & Stephanus P. Du Preez & Dmitri G. Bessarabov, 2022. "The Hydrolysis of Ball-Milled Aluminum–Bismuth–Nickel Composites for On-Demand Hydrogen Generation," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(7), pages 1-22, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jeners:v:15:y:2022:i:7:p:2356-:d:778179
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/15/7/2356/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/15/7/2356/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Vincent, Immanuel & Bessarabov, Dmitri, 2018. "Low cost hydrogen production by anion exchange membrane electrolysis: A review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 81(P2), pages 1690-1704.
    2. Ma, Miaolian & Yang, Lingli & Ouyang, Liuzhang & Shao, Huaiyu & Zhu, Min, 2019. "Promoting hydrogen generation from the hydrolysis of Mg-Graphite composites by plasma-assisted milling," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 167(C), pages 1205-1211.
    3. Kothari, Richa & Buddhi, D. & Sawhney, R.L., 2008. "Comparison of environmental and economic aspects of various hydrogen production methods," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 12(2), pages 553-563, February.
    4. Shkolnikov, E.I. & Zhuk, A.Z. & Vlaskin, M.S., 2011. "Aluminum as energy carrier: Feasibility analysis and current technologies overview," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 15(9), pages 4611-4623.
    5. Neef, H.-J., 2009. "International overview of hydrogen and fuel cell research," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 34(3), pages 327-333.
    6. Alina E. Kozhukhova & Stephanus P. du Preez & Dmitri G. Bessarabov, 2021. "Catalytic Hydrogen Combustion for Domestic and Safety Applications: A Critical Review of Catalyst Materials and Technologies," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(16), pages 1-32, August.
    7. Fan, Mei–qiang & Sun, Li–xian & Xu, Fen, 2010. "Experiment assessment of hydrogen production from activated aluminum alloys in portable generator for fuel cell applications," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 35(7), pages 2922-2926.
    8. Xiao, Fei & Guo, Yanpei & Li, Jianmin & Yang, Rongjie, 2018. "Hydrogen generation from hydrolysis of activated aluminum composites in tap water," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 157(C), pages 608-614.
    9. Kaneko, Hiroshi & Gokon, Nobuyuki & Hasegawa, Noriko & Tamaura, Yutaka, 2005. "Solar thermochemical process for hydrogen production using ferrites," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 30(11), pages 2171-2178.
    10. Wang, H.Z. & Leung, D.Y.C. & Leung, M.K.H. & Ni, M., 2009. "A review on hydrogen production using aluminum and aluminum alloys," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 13(4), pages 845-853, May.
    11. Godart, Peter & Hart, Douglas, 2020. "Aluminum-powered climate change resiliency: From aluminum debris to electricity and clean water," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 275(C).
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Gai, Wei-Zhuo & Deng, Zhen-Yan, 2024. "Enhanced hydrogen production from Al-water reaction: Strategies, performances, mechanisms and applications," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 226(C).
    2. Yang, Weijuan & Zhang, Tianyou & Liu, Jianzhong & Wang, Zhihua & Zhou, Junhu & Cen, Kefa, 2015. "Experimental researches on hydrogen generation by aluminum with adding lithium at high temperature," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 93(P1), pages 451-457.
    3. Yang, Weijuan & Zhang, Tianyou & Zhou, Junhu & Shi, Wei & Liu, Jianzhong & Cen, Kefa, 2015. "Experimental study on the effect of low melting point metal additives on hydrogen production in the aluminum–water reaction," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 88(C), pages 537-543.
    4. Macanás, Jorge & Soler, Lluís & Candela, Angélica María & Muñoz, Maria & Casado, Juan, 2011. "Hydrogen generation by aluminum corrosion in aqueous alkaline solutions of inorganic promoters: The AlHidrox process," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 36(5), pages 2493-2501.
    5. Trowell, K.A. & Goroshin, S. & Frost, D.L. & Bergthorson, J.M., 2020. "Aluminum and its role as a recyclable, sustainable carrier of renewable energy," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 275(C).
    6. Wang, Hongqi & Wang, Zhi & Shi, Zhihao & Gong, Xuzhong & Cao, Jianwei & Wang, Mingyong, 2017. "Facile hydrogen production from Al-water reaction promoted by choline hydroxide," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 131(C), pages 98-105.
    7. Li, Feng & Chu, Mansheng & Tang, Jue & Liu, Zhenggen & Guo, Jun & Yan, Ruijun & Liu, Peijun, 2022. "Thermodynamic performance analysis and environmental impact assessment of an integrated system for hydrogen generation and steelmaking," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 241(C).
    8. Haller, Michel Y. & Amstad, Dominik & Dudita, Mihaela & Englert, Alexander & Häberle, Andreas, 2021. "Combined heat and power production based on renewable aluminium-water reaction," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 174(C), pages 879-893.
    9. Hou, Xiaojiang & Wang, Yi & Yang, Yanling & Hu, Rui & Yang, Guang & Feng, Lei & Suo, Guoquan, 2019. "Microstructure evolution and controlled hydrolytic hydrogen generation strategy of Mg-rich Mg-Ni-La ternary alloys," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 188(C).
    10. Wang, Shuofeng & Ji, Changwei & Zhang, Jian & Zhang, Bo, 2011. "Comparison of the performance of a spark-ignited gasoline engine blended with hydrogen and hydrogen–oxygen mixtures," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 36(10), pages 5832-5837.
    11. Bergthorson, Jeffrey M. & Yavor, Yinon & Palecka, Jan & Georges, William & Soo, Michael & Vickery, James & Goroshin, Samuel & Frost, David L. & Higgins, Andrew J., 2017. "Metal-water combustion for clean propulsion and power generation," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 186(P1), pages 13-27.
    12. Maas, Pascal & Schiemann, Martin & Scherer, Viktor & Fischer, Peter & Taroata, Dan & Schmid, Günther, 2018. "Lithium as energy carrier: CFD simulations of LI combustion in a 100MW slag tap furnace," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 227(C), pages 506-515.
    13. Zhao, Zhongwei & Chen, Xingyu & Hao, Mingming, 2011. "Hydrogen generation by splitting water with Al–Ca alloy," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 36(5), pages 2782-2787.
    14. Bergthorson, J.M. & Goroshin, S. & Soo, M.J. & Julien, P. & Palecka, J. & Frost, D.L. & Jarvis, D.J., 2015. "Direct combustion of recyclable metal fuels for zero-carbon heat and power," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 160(C), pages 368-382.
    15. Su, Ming & Hu, Haiping & Gan, Jianchang & Ye, Wenhua & Zhang, Wenhua & Wang, Huihu, 2021. "Thermodynamics, kinetics and reaction mechanism of hydrogen production from a novel Al alloy/NaCl/g-C3N4 composite by low temperature hydrolysis," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 218(C).
    16. Liu, Yuxiang & Liang, Tao & Yuan, Xin & Lv, Yongkang, 2019. "The performance of COD removal and hydrogen production in a single stage system from starch using the consortium PB-Z under simulated natural conditions," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 173(C), pages 951-958.
    17. Schiemann, Martin & Bergthorson, Jeffrey & Fischer, Peter & Scherer, Viktor & Taroata, Dan & Schmid, Günther, 2016. "A review on lithium combustion," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 162(C), pages 948-965.
    18. Fayaz, H. & Saidur, R. & Razali, N. & Anuar, F.S. & Saleman, A.R. & Islam, M.R., 2012. "An overview of hydrogen as a vehicle fuel," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 16(8), pages 5511-5528.
    19. Xinyue Gao & Chang’an Wang & Wengang Bai & Yujie Hou & Defu Che, 2022. "Aluminum-Based Fuels as Energy Carriers for Controllable Power and Hydrogen Generation—A Review," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(1), pages 1-22, December.
    20. Pini, Martina & Breglia, Giovanni & Venturelli, Matteo & Montorsi, Luca & Milani, Massimo & Neri, Paolo & Ferrari, Anna Maria, 2020. "Life cycle assessment of an innovative cogeneration system based on the aluminum combustion with water," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 154(C), pages 532-541.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jeners:v:15:y:2022:i:7:p:2356-:d:778179. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.