Silicon-Based Sodium Hydride Core-Shell Structure for Portable Hydrolytic Hydrogen Generation

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Chemical Engineering
• Renewable Energy

Background:

• Hydrogen production via silicon (Si) hydrolysis is a promising, eco-friendly technology.
• Challenges include silicon's protective oxide layer and slow hydrolysis rates, hindering practical use.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop an efficient hydrogen generation material by addressing the limitations of silicon hydrolysis.
• To investigate the use of sodium hydride (NaH) to create NaH/Si composites for improved hydrogen production.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of NaH/Si core-shell composites using a simple, one-step hand-mixing method.
• Characterization of the composites using X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and nanoindentation.
• Evaluation of hydrogen generation performance and rates through hydrolysis reactions.

Main Results:

• NaH/Si composites achieved an 83% hydrogen yield and a generation rate of 52.7 mL/min.
• NaH effectively broke down the silicon oxide layer, promoting complete silicon hydrolysis.
• NaH/Si composites demonstrated superior performance compared to calcium hydride (CaH2)/Si composites.

Conclusions:

• Sodium hydride is crucial for enhancing silicon hydrolysis and maximizing hydrogen yield.
• NaH/Si composites represent a cost-effective and portable material for practical hydrogen production.
• This innovative approach offers potential for advancing hydrogen energy technologies.