Ionize Hydrogen and Oxygen Gas in Electrolytic Cell? As is well known, water can be electrolyzed into oxygen and hydrogen gasses. However, all redox reactions can be run in reverse. If I were to electrolyze water in 2 closed containers (in order to trap the gasses) and i were to run the cell in reverse using a battery, would the hydrogen and oxygen gasses turn back into ions and, therefore, water? If so how would this work on a physical level? And what path do the ions take to get to each other?
Since the monatomic hydrogen and oxygen have combined, respectively, in H2 and O2 gases, those molecular bonds must be broken in order to get them to recombine as water and produce electricity. That is precisely what a fuel cell does. You can lease a hydrogen fuel cell powered Hyundai Tucson, if you're close to H2 filling stations, and Iceland is looking into setting up a hydrothermal-powered H2 fuel station system.