A new process to obtain hydrogen from highly activated Al-Li-Ga alloy in water was described. The milled alloys had good hydrolysis properties especially that the alloy with 12 wt. % Ga produced 1103 mL H2/1 g Al alloy in 0.5 h of the hydrolysis reaction at 323 K, its efficiency reaching 98 %. From XRD and SEM analysis, the improved hydrolysis properties were explained from the formation of GaLi alloy in the milling process, which acted as initial hydrolysis center and its hydrolysis byproduct LiOH further simulated the corrosion of Al-Ga alloy in water. There existed several micro-galvanic cells between Al-Li-Ga alloy and water, where LiAl2(OH)7·2H2O and Al(OH)3 (bayerite) were produced with the synergistic effect of Li and Ga. Therefore, this method could be a clean process supplying portable hydrogen source for fuel cell.
Bo Bao, H., Qiang Sun, W., Deng, P., Yao, J., Liang Wang, L., Dan Chen, D., & Qiang Fan, M. (2011). Activation of Al-Li-Ga Alloy and Its Hydrolysis for Portable Hydrogen Sources. Asian Journal of Chemistry, 23(8), 3670–3672. Retrieved from https://asianpubs.org/index.php/ajchem/article/view/10712
