Note
Active metals such as magnesium reacted with steam can produce
hydrogen. This reduction of water by magnesium or aluminum is a
thermodynamically favorable process, however, formation of metal
hydroxide shields the metal surface from further reactions to produce
H₂. The results show that the Cl ion is an effective ion to activate
magnesium reacting with water. In addition, Pt-colloid can be an
effective catalyst in seawater to enhance H2 production. Based on
this bench scale study, an optimal system and large scale reactor can
be developed to produce large quantities of hydrogen. The method can
prove to be simple and reliable for producing high purity H2 within a
limited space and available facility.