THRIVAL ROCKS!!
Doing some research on the chemicals required, here's what I've found:
Calcium Oxide (also called quicklime)
CAS Number: 1305-78-8
eBay: 100 grams for $3.99
Gallade Chemicals: 1kg for $87.00
Iron Oxide (I believe it's Iron(II) Oxide; used in thermite; harder to find)
CAS Number: 1345-25-1
eBay: 100 grams for $3.99
Gallade Chemicals: N/A
Sulfuric Acid (I'm pretty sure this is available off-the-shelf at any hardware shop)
I did a Wiki on "ionic membrane", but didn't get anything. I'm not sure if this is the same as the membrane used to seperate H and O (such as Nafion) or if this is something else. Thrival, care to fill us in?
I'm assuming I could just put some of the Calcium Oxide powder in one compartment and some Iron Oxide in the other. Then I would add sulphuric acid to both compartments, which will cause the reaction to start and hydrogen being released. Once the reaction is complete, the Calcium Oxide will have turned into Calcium Sulfate and the Iron Oxide into Iron Sulfate. I'm assuming both are dissolved in the solution, but remain seperated by the ionic membrane (I'm guessing that's the purpose of the ionic membrane).
Now, by adding the SS plates in the solutions, there is electricity to be captured during the reaction. And if electricity is applied to those SS plates, does the reaction reverse? I'm not sure I understand what AlaskaStar means by 'DRAWING power will generate hydrogen'.
And the other piece is where does water come in? Is there water in the compartments to begin with? Or does the water come from the sulfuric acid solution (since it's probably like a 10% solution)? Do the oxides dissolve in the water or do they remain as solids until the sulfuric acid is added?
Unless Thrival has done some experimentation already or AlaskaStar is willing to give us some proportions, we will have to figure them out for ourselves. I'm going to assume the water comes from the sulfuric acid solution. We'll need to figure out the best sulfuric acid solution mixture and try to maintain that (since AlaskaStar said we will need to add water eventually). It seems like it makes the most sense to have the sulfuric acid solution already in the compartments, then just add an amount of the oxide to the solution. Then we could meter the grams of oxide per mL of sulfuric acid solution.
The other piece I'm a little lost on, is the surface area issue AlaskaStar mentioned many times. At least one of the components/ingredients is supposed to look like a heatsink. If the oxides change from solids to being dissolved in the acid solution, then it doesn't makes sense for the oxides to be shaped like a heatsink (not to mention it's probably a pain in the ass to make them into that shape in the first place). The only other solid is the SS plates. Are those supposed to have maximum surface area?
Before I order the Iron Oxide and Calcium Oxide to begin experimenting, I would like somebody else to confirm that I have identified the correct compounds above; specifically Iron(II) oxide over Iron(III) oxide. I'm assuming there's an easier, cheaper way to obtain those two oxides (feel free to let everybody else know), but for inital experimentation, I think it makes more sense to minimize the unknowns and use high quality compounds to start.
I'd have to say, this is pretty damn exciting! Thanks again Thrival (and AlaskaStar) for figuring out the hard part.
