Week 6

Hi everyone!

This week I finally got to put my device into action! Before I started I had to gather more materials. I went to visit my professor so that he could collect the salt needed to start testing. He gave me a small amount in a bag and told me that I wouldn’t need too much to get the reaction started. I also bought alligator clips with wire attached so that I would be able to connect my electrode to the battery/ solar cell.

Before experimenting, I had to choose a starting point for all of my variables. My container has a capacity that is slightly greater than 1 liter and my professor had suggested trying to fill the container about 3/4ths of the way with solution. I measured approximately 750ml of purified water with a beaker and put it inside my container. I started with my smallest measure, a 1/4^th tsp, to see if I could get a decent reaction and decided I could add more later on if needed. After stirring, I tested a 1.5 volt battery on the solution and checked for the formation of any bubbles at the cathode to indicate a presence of Hydrogen.

At 1.5 Volts, I didn’t see any reaction so I increased the voltage to 3 volts by adding another 1.5 Volt battery in a series circuit. This produced bubbles, but they formed very slowly, so I tried increasing the salt concentration in the water, adding another 1/4^th teaspoon, and the formation of bubbles increased. I added one more quarter teaspoon (with slightly increased bubble formation again) and then decided I needed a much bigger battery if I was going to produce enough Hydrogen to collect. I then went with one of the graduate students in my lab, Wen Si Huang, to go find one, and we purchased a 9 Volt battery from a nearby store to test.

The 9 Volt battery was visibly extremely effective at increasing bubble formation as shown in the video below:

Because it was rather difficult trying to ascertain whether or not there was any hydrogen flow coming from the collection tube, I cut a glove up and tied it with string to see if the makeshift balloon would inflate.

After waiting a while, unfortunately, even though there was hydrogen production, the balloon still did not inflate.

There are a couple of reasons I could think of for this result. Either there is not enough gas being produced to inflate the balloon, in which case I would have to try powering the device differently or there remains a leak in the devices sealing. I will have to try to resolve the issue next week.