Methods for producing hydrogen and oxygen by water electrolysis

Abstract

A method for producing hydrogen and oxygen by water electrolysis includes coating a cathode with poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene)-poly(styrenesulfonic acid) to form a composite cathode; placing the composite cathode and an anode in an aqueous conductive liquid and arranging them alternately; electrically connecting the composite cathode and the anode to a power source; applying a DC voltage to the composite cathode and the anode with the power source, causing a reduction reaction of the aqueous conductive liquid at the composite cathode to produce hydrogen, and an oxidation reaction of the aqueous conductive liquid at the anode to produce oxygen. This method for producing hydrogen and oxygen by water electrolysis has low energy consumption.

Claims

1. A method for producing hydrogen and oxygen by water electrolysis, comprising: coating a cathode with poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene)-poly(styrenesulfonic acid) to form a composite cathode, wherein, The cathode is a porous conductor; the composite cathode and an anode are placed in an aqueous conductive liquid and arranged at intervals, and the composite cathode and the anode are electrically connected to a power source, wherein the aqueous conductive liquid includes water and an alkaline electrolyte; and a DC voltage is applied to the composite cathode and the anode by the power source, so that a reduction reaction of the aqueous conductive liquid occurs at the composite cathode to produce hydrogen gas, and an oxidation reaction of the aqueous conductive liquid occurs at the anode to produce oxygen gas.

2. The method for producing hydrogen and oxygen by water electrolysis as described in claim 1, wherein, The poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene)-poly(styrenesulfonic acid) accounts for 4 x 10⁻⁴ wt% of the total weight of the composite cathode.

3. The method for producing hydrogen and oxygen by water electrolysis as described in claim 1, wherein, The alkaline electrolyte is selected from at least one of the groups consisting of potassium hydroxide and sodium hydroxide.

4. The method for producing hydrogen and oxygen by water electrolysis as described in claim 1 or 3, wherein, In this aqueous conductive liquid, the concentration of the alkaline electrolyte ranges from 0.1 M to 1 M.

5. The method for producing hydrogen and oxygen by water electrolysis as described in claim 4, wherein, In this aqueous conductive liquid, the concentration of the alkaline electrolyte is 0.1M.

6. The method for producing hydrogen and oxygen by water electrolysis as described in claim 1, wherein, The anode is an inert conductor.

Images