An Al–Li alloy/water system for superior and low-temperature hydrogen production

Abstract

The potential of a multiphase Al–Li alloy with the unreported Al_1.08Li_1.92 phase for use as a hydrolytic material to produce hydrogen was studied. This alloy enabled rapid hydrogen release in a wide temperature range with robust hydrogen yield. It could produce 1496 ml H₂ per g within merely 0.5 min at 299 K and release 1076 ml H₂ per g in 0.5 min even at a subzero temperature of 243 K. The hydrogen production kinetics were confirmed with a chemical step and could be well controlled by tailoring the solution components of water/ethanol mixtures. Furthermore, the alloy showed good air-resistance ability, indicating its suitability for safe handling and transport in practical applications. Our results confirmed the excellent hydrogen production achieved using this Al-based generation system. It might shed light on the progress of hydrogen production technologies for commercial use.