to produce, convert and store energy. Nanotechnology has opened new perspectives by creating new engineered materials to meet these challenges by improving the efficiency in energy conversion and storage. The latter is considered one of the most important objectives to convert the economy on renewable energy sources. In this respect, water is appealing candidate to store and release hydrogen (H2) through a metal water reaction, e.g. magnesium (Mg)-water reaction. This latter is an exciting – way to generate hydrogen in situ. Unfortunately, the reactivity of magnesium bulk is not enough good to be used in practical applications. To improve the responsiveness of Mg, various methods can be used such as the reduction of the grain dimension of Mg powder, the addition of corrosive chemical compounds to water, or the increase of the temperature to accelerate the reaction. However, from the practical point of view, a rector working at room temperature and containing only water as reactant is preferable and user-friendly to generate H2 on-demand. In this work, we studied the use of graphene (G) powder to enhance the reactivity of Mg increasing surface area involved in the reaction with water. Higher values of Mg surface area were obtained by depositing thin magnesium films directly on the Graphene sheets. The depositions on Graphene powder were performed by plasma magneto sputtering. H2 production have been tested mixing the Mg/Gr powder with water in a cell with pressure sensor. The feasibilility to produce energy by hydrogen produce Mg/Gr in water has been tested a simplified reactor combined with a fuel cell. The findings show that deposition of Mg on graphene using plasma technology is possible and the magnesium deposited on Gr exhibits a high reactivity with water even at room temperature. The hydrogen produce by Mg/Gr nanocomposite material in water has been successfully use in a fuel cell indicating the Mg/Gr powder is a promising material for new concept for on demand energy generation.
to produce, convert and store energy. Nanotechnology has opened new perspectives by creating new engineered materials to meet these challenges by improving the efficiency in energy conversion and storage. The latter is considered one of the most important objectives to convert the economy on renewable energy sources. In this respect, water is appealing candidate to store and release hydrogen (H2) through a metal – water reaction, e.g. magnesium (Mg)-water reaction. This latter is an exciting way to generate hydrogen in situ. Unfortunately, the reactivity of magnesium bulk is not enough good to be used in practical applications. To improve the responsiveness of Mg, various methods can be used such as the reduction of the grain dimension of Mg powder, the addition of corrosive chemical compounds to water, or the increase of the temperature to accelerate the reaction. However, from the practical point of view, a rector working at room temperature and containing only water as reactant is preferable and user-friendly to generate H2 on-demand. In this work, we studied the use of graphene (G) powder to enhance the reactivity of Mg increasing surface area involved in the reaction with water. Higher values of Mg surface area were obtained by depositing thin magnesium films directly on the Graphene sheets. The depositions on Graphene powder were performed by plasma magneto sputtering. H2 production have been tested mixing the Mg/Gr powder with water in a cell with pressure sensor. The feasibilility to produce energy by hydrogen produce Mg/Gr in water has been tested a simplified reactor combined with a fuel cell. The findings show that deposition of Mg on graphene using plasma technology is possible and the magnesium deposited on Gr exhibits a high reactivity with water even at room temperature. The hydrogen produce by Mg/Gr nanocomposite material in water has been successfully use in a fuel cell indicating the Mg/Gr powder is a promising material for new concept for on demand energy generation.
FM-NT_18_Hydrogen_Generation_using_Water_and_Graphene_Powder_Coated_with_Magnesium._2.docx