Hydrogen Generation from Stabilized Alane

• US 20140154171A1
• Filed: 12/04/2012
• Published: 06/05/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/04/2012
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Intelligent Energy Inc
• Original Assignee: Eveready Battery Company Incorporated (Energizer Holdings, Inc.)
• Inventors: Zheng, Guanghong
• Application Number:
  US13/693,158
• Publication Number:
  US 20140154171A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 423/657
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 7/02 by wet methods
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2203/0405 Purification by membrane separation
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 3/065 from a hydride
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 3/56 by contacting with solids; Regeneration of used solids C01B3/508 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/36 Hydrogen production from non-carbon containing sources, e.g. by water electrolysis

Abstract

A hydrogen generator and a method of producing hydrogen gas using stabilized aluminum hydroxide and water are disclosed. The hydrogen generator contains stabilized aluminum hydride, water, a base, and a reaction chamber within which at least a portion of the stabilized aluminum hydride reacts with at least a portion of the water to produce hydrogen gas. The water that reacts with the stabilized aluminum hydride is contained in a basic aqueous solution including at least a portion of the base. The base can be included with the water in the basic aqueous solution, stored in a reservoir separate from the stabilized aluminum hydroxide, or the base can be a solid contained in a mixture with the stabilized aluminum hydroxide and mix with water when added to the mixture to form the basic aqueous solution.

Claims

1. A method of producing hydrogen gas, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a solid stabilized aluminum hydride, a base and water;

storing the solid stabilized aluminum hydride separate from the water until production of hydrogen gas is desired; and

when the production of hydrogen gas is desired, contacting at least a portion of the stabilized aluminum hydride with at least a portion of the water in a basic aqueous solution comprising at least a portion of the base to produce hydrogen gas.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the stabilized aluminum hydride comprises alpha aluminum hydride.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the stabilized aluminum hydride comprises particles of aluminum hydride with a crystallite size of greater than 1 μ

m.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein the crystallite size is 100 μ

m or less.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the stabilized aluminum hydride comprises particles with a passivation layer.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein the passivation layer comprises at least one of an oxide of aluminum, a hydroxide of aluminum and a combination thereof.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the basic aqueous solution is formed by mixing the base and the water and then contacting the solution with the stabilized aluminum hydride.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein the basic aqueous solution is at least a 0.01 molar solution of the base.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the basic aqueous solution is formed as the water is brought in contact with a mixture of a solid base and stabilized aluminum hydride.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein the solid base comprises at least one of a hydride, a borohydride and an alanate that can initially react with the water to produce hydrogen gas.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein no heat is added during production of the hydrogen gas.

21. The method according to claim 1, wherein the solid stabilized aluminum hydride is stored separate from the base until the production of hydrogen gas is desired.

22. The method according to claim 1, wherein the solid stabilized aluminum hydride and the base are stored as a solid mixture before the production of hydrogen gas is desired.

23. The method according to claim 1, wherein the hydrogen gas is produced in a reaction area containing all materials required for a reaction to produce hydrogen gas, and the materials consist essentially of the aluminum hydride, the base and the water.

12-20. -20. (canceled)

24. A method of producing hydrogen gas, the method comprising the steps of:

storing a solid stabilized aluminum hydride and water in separate containers; and

contacting at least a portion of the solid stabilized aluminum hydride with at least a portion of the water in the presence of a base to undergo a reaction to produce hydrogen gas on demand.

25. The method according to claim 24, wherein the base is a solid stored with the solid stabilized aluminum hydride.

26. The method according to claim 24, wherein the base is stored in a solution with the water.

27. The method according to claim 24, wherein materials required for the reaction consist essentially of the stabilized aluminum hydride, the base and the water.