Design and optimization of electrochemical cell potential for hydrogen gas production

Nawar K. Al-Shara; Farooq Sher; Sania Z. Iqbal; Oliver Curnick; George Z. Chen

doi:10.1016/j.jechem.2020.04.026

Design and optimization of electrochemical cell potential for hydrogen gas production

Nawar K. Al-Shara, Farooq Sher, Sania Z. Iqbal, Oliver Curnick, George Z. Chen

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Abstract

This study deals with the optimization of best working conditions in molten melt for the production of hydrogen (H2) gas. Limited research has been carried out on how electrochemical process occurs through steam splitting via molten hydroxide. 54 combinations of cathode, anode, temperature and voltage have been investigated for the optimization of best working conditions with molten hydroxide for hydrogen gas production. All these electrochemical investigations were carried out at 225 to 300°C temperature and 1.5 to 2.5 V applied voltage values. The current efficiency of 90.5, 80.0 and 68.6% has been achieved using stainless steel anodic cell with nickel, stainless steel and platinum working cathode respectively. For nickel cathode, an increase in the current directly affected the hydrogen gas flow rate at cathode. It can be hypothesized from the noted results that increase in current is directly proportional to operating temperature and applied voltage. Higher values were noted when the applied voltages increased from 1.5 to 2.5 V at 300°C, the flow rate of hydrogen gas increased from 1.5 to 11.3 cm3 min−1, 1.0 to 13 cm3 min−1 in case of electrolysis @ stainless steel and @ graphite anode respectively. It is observed that the current efficiency of stainless steel anodic cell was higher than the graphite anodic cell. Therefore, steam splitting with the help of molten salts has shown an encouraging alternate to current methodology for H2 fuel production.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	421-427
Number of pages	7
Journal	Journal of Energy Chemistry
Volume	52
Early online date	28 Apr 2020
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jechem.2020.04.026
Publication status	Published - Jan 2021

Bibliographical note

NOTICE: this is the author’s version of a work that was accepted for publication in Journal of Energy Chemistry. Changes resulting from the publishing process, such as peer review, editing, corrections, structural formatting, and other quality control mechanisms may not be reflected in this document. Changes may have been made to this work since it was submitted for publication. A definitive version was subsequently published in Journal of Energy Chemistry, 52, (2021) DOI: 10.1016/j.jechem.2020.04.026

© 2020, Elsevier. Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/

Keywords

Electrochemical cell and Variable cathodes
Electrolysis
Hydrogen gas production
Splitting steam
Sustainable energy

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Fuel Technology
Energy Engineering and Power Technology
Energy (miscellaneous)
Electrochemistry

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10.1016/j.jechem.2020.04.026

Post-PrintAccepted author manuscript, 432 KBLicence: CC BY-NC-ND

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title = "Design and optimization of electrochemical cell potential for hydrogen gas production",

abstract = "This study deals with the optimization of best working conditions in molten melt for the production of hydrogen (H2) gas. Limited research has been carried out on how electrochemical process occurs through steam splitting via molten hydroxide. 54 combinations of cathode, anode, temperature and voltage have been investigated for the optimization of best working conditions with molten hydroxide for hydrogen gas production. All these electrochemical investigations were carried out at 225 to 300°C temperature and 1.5 to 2.5 V applied voltage values. The current efficiency of 90.5, 80.0 and 68.6% has been achieved using stainless steel anodic cell with nickel, stainless steel and platinum working cathode respectively. For nickel cathode, an increase in the current directly affected the hydrogen gas flow rate at cathode. It can be hypothesized from the noted results that increase in current is directly proportional to operating temperature and applied voltage. Higher values were noted when the applied voltages increased from 1.5 to 2.5 V at 300°C, the flow rate of hydrogen gas increased from 1.5 to 11.3 cm3 min−1, 1.0 to 13 cm3 min−1 in case of electrolysis @ stainless steel and @ graphite anode respectively. It is observed that the current efficiency of stainless steel anodic cell was higher than the graphite anodic cell. Therefore, steam splitting with the help of molten salts has shown an encouraging alternate to current methodology for H2 fuel production.",

keywords = "Electrochemical cell and Variable cathodes, Electrolysis, Hydrogen gas production, Splitting steam, Sustainable energy",

author = "Al-Shara, {Nawar K.} and Farooq Sher and Iqbal, {Sania Z.} and Oliver Curnick and Chen, {George Z.}",

note = "NOTICE: this is the author{\textquoteright}s version of a work that was accepted for publication in Journal of Energy Chemistry. Changes resulting from the publishing process, such as peer review, editing, corrections, structural formatting, and other quality control mechanisms may not be reflected in this document. Changes may have been made to this work since it was submitted for publication. A definitive version was subsequently published in Journal of Energy Chemistry, 52, (2021) DOI: 10.1016/j.jechem.2020.04.026 {\textcopyright} 2020, Elsevier. Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/ ",

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AU - Al-Shara, Nawar K.

AU - Sher, Farooq

AU - Iqbal, Sania Z.

AU - Curnick, Oliver

AU - Chen, George Z.

N1 - NOTICE: this is the author’s version of a work that was accepted for publication in Journal of Energy Chemistry. Changes resulting from the publishing process, such as peer review, editing, corrections, structural formatting, and other quality control mechanisms may not be reflected in this document. Changes may have been made to this work since it was submitted for publication. A definitive version was subsequently published in Journal of Energy Chemistry, 52, (2021) DOI: 10.1016/j.jechem.2020.04.026 © 2020, Elsevier. Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/

PY - 2021/1

Y1 - 2021/1

N2 - This study deals with the optimization of best working conditions in molten melt for the production of hydrogen (H2) gas. Limited research has been carried out on how electrochemical process occurs through steam splitting via molten hydroxide. 54 combinations of cathode, anode, temperature and voltage have been investigated for the optimization of best working conditions with molten hydroxide for hydrogen gas production. All these electrochemical investigations were carried out at 225 to 300°C temperature and 1.5 to 2.5 V applied voltage values. The current efficiency of 90.5, 80.0 and 68.6% has been achieved using stainless steel anodic cell with nickel, stainless steel and platinum working cathode respectively. For nickel cathode, an increase in the current directly affected the hydrogen gas flow rate at cathode. It can be hypothesized from the noted results that increase in current is directly proportional to operating temperature and applied voltage. Higher values were noted when the applied voltages increased from 1.5 to 2.5 V at 300°C, the flow rate of hydrogen gas increased from 1.5 to 11.3 cm3 min−1, 1.0 to 13 cm3 min−1 in case of electrolysis @ stainless steel and @ graphite anode respectively. It is observed that the current efficiency of stainless steel anodic cell was higher than the graphite anodic cell. Therefore, steam splitting with the help of molten salts has shown an encouraging alternate to current methodology for H2 fuel production.

AB - This study deals with the optimization of best working conditions in molten melt for the production of hydrogen (H2) gas. Limited research has been carried out on how electrochemical process occurs through steam splitting via molten hydroxide. 54 combinations of cathode, anode, temperature and voltage have been investigated for the optimization of best working conditions with molten hydroxide for hydrogen gas production. All these electrochemical investigations were carried out at 225 to 300°C temperature and 1.5 to 2.5 V applied voltage values. The current efficiency of 90.5, 80.0 and 68.6% has been achieved using stainless steel anodic cell with nickel, stainless steel and platinum working cathode respectively. For nickel cathode, an increase in the current directly affected the hydrogen gas flow rate at cathode. It can be hypothesized from the noted results that increase in current is directly proportional to operating temperature and applied voltage. Higher values were noted when the applied voltages increased from 1.5 to 2.5 V at 300°C, the flow rate of hydrogen gas increased from 1.5 to 11.3 cm3 min−1, 1.0 to 13 cm3 min−1 in case of electrolysis @ stainless steel and @ graphite anode respectively. It is observed that the current efficiency of stainless steel anodic cell was higher than the graphite anodic cell. Therefore, steam splitting with the help of molten salts has shown an encouraging alternate to current methodology for H2 fuel production.

KW - Electrochemical cell and Variable cathodes

KW - Electrolysis

KW - Hydrogen gas production

KW - Splitting steam

KW - Sustainable energy

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DO - 10.1016/j.jechem.2020.04.026

M3 - Article

SN - 2095-4956

VL - 52

SP - 421

EP - 427

JO - Journal of Energy Chemistry

JF - Journal of Energy Chemistry

ER -

Design and optimization of electrochemical cell potential for hydrogen gas production

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

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