Synchronously Producing H and Purifying Methyl Orange-Polluted Water through the Reaction of an Al-GaInSn Alloy Plate and HO.

Hydrogen gas (H) as a fuel has the advantages of high energy density (122 kJ g) and zero carbon emissions. To meet the growing demand for H in the future, green, efficient, and convenient production technologies must be developed. The Al-HO reaction, which produces H by reacting aluminum (Al) with water (HO), is considered a rapid method for producing H. However, Al-HO creates a protective oxide layer on the surface of Al, preventing the production of H. In this study, we developed a simple method for forming Al-GaInSn alloy by brushing GaInSn-AlO grease onto an Al plate to form an Al/GaInSn-AlO/Al sandwich structure. AlO in the sample supports GaInSn, prevents the leakage of GaInSn, and promotes its penetration into the Al lattice to form Al-GaInSn alloy. By forming a liquid phase within the alloy, GaInSn increases the accessibility of Al to the reaction. As a result, the Al-GaInSn alloy can rapidly react with pure HO to produce H at room temperature conditions, with yields as high as ∼93.2%. It was interesting to find that dye-polluted water (methyl orange) could be synchronically purified by the Al-HO reaction at the same time.