How to Make a Small Hydrogen Cell
One of the most promising forms of renewable energy technologies is the hydrogen fuel cell. According to Brian Merchant of planetgreen.discovery.com, it can generate electricity pollution-free, leaving water as its only byproduct. Although this may seem like a complex technology, you can create a small hydrogen cell in about 10 minutes using items you can find in your home.
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Things You'll Need
- Platinum-coated nickel wire, 12 inches long
- Wire clippers
- Nail
- Knife or scissors
- 9-volt battery clip (lead)
- Clear tape
- Popsicle stick
- Glass
- Water
- Volt meter
- 9-volt battery
Instructions
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Cut the platinum wire into two 6-inch pieces. Wind each piece into a coiled spring by wrapping each around the nail separately. These coils will be the electrodes for your fuel cell.
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2
Cut the 9-volt battery clip's leads. Carefully remove the insulation off the cut ends with a scissors or knife, being mindful not to cut the wire.
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3
Twist the ends of the exposed wires around the ends of the electrodes. Secure the wires to the middle of the popsicle stick using clear tape.
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4
Fill a glass with water and tape the popsicle stick to the top of the glass. Make sure the electrodes are almost fully immersed in the water. The twisted wire connections must not be touching the water.
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5
Connect the volt meter to the battery clip by attaching the black wire to the negative terminal and the red wire to the positive terminal of the volt meter. The volt meter will have a zero reading or a very negligible one, such as 0.02 volts.
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Touch the battery to the battery clip to operate your hydrogen cell. You will know that your cell is operational because you will see bubbles in the water around the electrodes. This is the result of electrolysis, which is the splitting of water into oxygen and hydrogen. You will get an initial reading of around 9 volts from the volt meter. Remove the battery to stop the process.
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References
Resources
- Photo Credit nine volts alkaline battery on table image by JoLin from Fotolia.com
