kerry k
09-02-2008, 09:30 AM
Hi guys, new poster. I work at a large chemical manufacturer and one of the chemicals we make is sodium aluminate which is basiclly aluminum hydrate digested in sodium hydroxide. So having one of those "what if.." moments I used it as an electolyte in my cell. All I can say is wow! It has never made that much gas before.
My cell, 7 tubes in parallel (still on bench) normally pulls 17 amps. With D.I water and approx. 8ml of the sodium aluminate it only pulled 9 amps.
I let the cell run for about 20 mins and I expected the tank to be full of some sort of crud from the aluminum but nothing, still crystal clear.
After my little experiment I pulled the cell out of the tank to clean and inspect. The cheapie Home Depot nuts and bolts I used ( I thought they where stainless ) to attach the wires to the tubes were a dark dull grey but only on the neg. tubes. Is it possible that I am electroplating aluminum on my neg. electrode. Would this increase gas prodution?
As the heading of this post states it is an interesting electrolyte. My test was not controlled or was it scientific to say the least. I do think it merits some more study.
My cell, 7 tubes in parallel (still on bench) normally pulls 17 amps. With D.I water and approx. 8ml of the sodium aluminate it only pulled 9 amps.
I let the cell run for about 20 mins and I expected the tank to be full of some sort of crud from the aluminum but nothing, still crystal clear.
After my little experiment I pulled the cell out of the tank to clean and inspect. The cheapie Home Depot nuts and bolts I used ( I thought they where stainless ) to attach the wires to the tubes were a dark dull grey but only on the neg. tubes. Is it possible that I am electroplating aluminum on my neg. electrode. Would this increase gas prodution?
As the heading of this post states it is an interesting electrolyte. My test was not controlled or was it scientific to say the least. I do think it merits some more study.