Preparation Of The Hydrogen Evolution Electrode In Aluminum-Water Hydrogen Generator System

In this paper, the aluminum-water hydrogen generator system to be designed is totally a new conceptional environmental energy storage and discharge system with high efficiency, clearness, safety and low cost. During its reacting process that only consumes aluminum alloy anodes and water, this system is able to product high purest hydrogen at the same time of electricity output, and the unique byproduct is Al(OH)3 which becomes alumina after recycle and dehydration. On the basis of battery structures that have been invented, this new type system is mainly composed of aluminum alloy anodes, neutral electrolyte, hydrogen-evolution cathode, electrolyte recycling system, the hydrogen flux controlling system and so on. Hydrogen-evolution electrodes with high catalytic activity are studied by worldwide scientists all the while. At the same time, it plays the significant role in manufacturing the aluminum-water hydrogen generator system. In this paper, electroplating, electrolessplating and composite electroplating methods have been used to prepare the Ni-based binary alloy deposits such as Ni-S, Ni-P, Ni-Mo, Ni-W, Ni-Co, Ni-WC and Ni-ZrO2. The cathodic polarization curves of these deposits are compared with that of Watt-Ni to screen out the preliminary electrode with outstanding properties. From the aspect of the electron structure and the electronegativity value, the mechanism of catalytic activity of hydrogen evolution is analyzed theoretically. Amorphous alloys gained by electroplating have excellent physical and chemical properties such as good corrosion resistance, wear resistance and electro-catalytic activity. In this paper, low hydrogen over-potential Ni-based ternary alloy electrode Ni-Co-P is prepared by electrodeposition method on the basis of the Ni-based binary alloy electrode with high catalytic activity, and their physical and chemical properties are studied. Through the comparison of the cathodic polarization curves, the effects of electrolyte composition in the bath, cathodic current density, electrolysis time, pH and plating temperature on function of electrodes are examined. XRD and cyclic voltammetry are applied to obtain the optimum plating bath composition and operating conditions of such technology. Besides, anodic oxidation treatment to Ni-Co-P is founded that it could increase electro-catalytic activity obviously. Taken the electroless Ni-P alloy deposits with middle phosphorus content as experiment substrate, this paper confirms optimum operating conditions of anodic oxidation and draws preliminary conclusions about mechanism of anodic oxidation.