Hydrogen Generator #4 Heavy nickel plating hydrogen generator electrode experiment

[@charliecarver3317]

Glad to see you used my suggestion for the electrodes and electrolyte , You're on the right track here keep up the good work .....experiment....experiment ..experiment !

[@mentor288]

Hi I would recommend to you a youtube channel called Peter & Pete and u will save a lot of time and money just as i did.. 😉

[@TheDIYScienceGuy]

Thanks for the suggestion! So far I have watched 1 video and it's weird but fun!

[@mentor288]

@@TheDIYScienceGuy u seem like a decent guy and not one of those manipulating and deceiving yt channels thats why i wrote To you. Good luck and hope u see what i mean..

[@joeestes8114]

If you had a piece professional triple nickle plated it would probably last for years!

[@TheDIYScienceGuy]

Yes that probably would work the best but I like to DIY things. Thanks for your input anyway! 👍

[@hayatel2557]

If you are nickel plating you should use nickel clip on the positive side because if you use copper clip on the positive side the copper will move to the negative side. Electrolysis transfer metal particules from + to - if you use copper clip on negative side it doesn't matter it will just be plated with nickel. If you always apply this method you won't get contamination in your plating like the black stuff. Positive side clip shall always be same material as anode. E.g plating nickel = nickel clip on + side. Plating copper= copper clip on + side. To make the nickel acetate voltage 12 volt and amps 25 or more doesn't matter but for plating process best result at maximum 3 volt and below 3 amps. Your nickel will stick firmly and evenly to your cathode

[@ScrapScience]

Excellent work! I was a little skeptical that a small layer of electroplated nickel could protect the copper substrate (even if a tiny pinhole appears in the nickel layer, the copper will eventually disintegrate under anodic conditions), but if that tiny piece can handle 3 amps for at least 6 hours without eroding at all, it looks like you've got the perfect electrode. Cleaning the copper beforehand with hydrochloric acid is definitely essential though, as any tiny bits of oxide or impurities will ruin the nickel layer, but it looks like you've got most of that figured out. One thing to note, if you see any blue colouring or particles in the solution at all during the electrolysis, it'll mean that the copper of your anode has started to corrode and may need a re-plate of nickel. Can't wait to see you open up that hydrogen generator.

[@charliecarver3317]

Scrap Science. The nickel plating has to be fairly heavy for this very reason. Edison had good success with these materials in his Edison nickel-iron battery.

[@gilsonsoares-mz2lc]

motor movidos a agua kzbin.info/www/bejne/bJq6m6FpfstojJI

[@victoryfirst2878]

I have a comment for you when you plate nickel. You need a magnetic stirrer to keep the solution moving and the plating will not have those round balls on the surface. Worked in a plating shop a few months so I know that for sure. We used stirrers and flow aeration pumps ( vigorous solution agitation ) and high frequency ( makes shiny surface happen )to prevent the bee bees from occurring. Hope that helps.

[@TheDIYScienceGuy]

Yes I saw something like that in an other video about a plating factory where they constantly kept the plates moving from side to side. Thanks for the info, will definitely use that! 👍

[@fuelban]

Hi, fascinating video, can I ask, when an Anode or cathode is in use, is there not a Danger of the deposition coating lifting off, or being carried else whare. ?, ... Thom in Scotland

[@ronaldjacobs8561]

Cool. In your last video I think you used common 304 Stainless Steel, which will corrode rather easily. It will even rust in mild saline conditions. Most HHO enthuseists use specifically 316 Stainless Steel, which is used in Marine aplications, Industrial Food Processing, Industrial Chemical processing, Powerplants, etc. Its an alloy designed for structureal integrity and high corrosion resistance. It will save you the fun of nickel plating copper and in this type of application the efficiency of copper compared to stainless steel is not significant because your plates cross section and surface area are quite large and you are not transfering power more than a few millimeters between them. differences in metal conductors are significant only with extremly low voltages or over a meter of distance or so. you know what I mean. You have more resistance in your electrolyte than the metal itself, lol. Also your aceesss heat is comming from having way more amperage than you really need for the size plates you are using. Try about 0.54 Amps per square inch. of a single plate on one side. More amps do yield more gas but at the cost of more heat. Ive never seen anyone using a water cooling system like this but why not lol. cheaper than adding more plates Awesome, video. I enjoy your process.

[@TheDIYScienceGuy]

Thanks! And thanks for the info 👍

[@anthonypazoz4323]

Where did you get this number 0.54 amps per square inch where does that come from/how was it derived?? Why does everyone keep saying 0.54 amps per square inch is that a 316L stainless steel exclusive variable or does that even apply to nickel/copper??

[@PeterPete]

in your hydrogen generator have you collected the gas from the anode? if so, is it flammable?

[@TheDIYScienceGuy]

Yes I did. And no it is not flammable because it's oxygen.

[@PeterPete]

@@TheDIYScienceGuy so where do you think the oxygen is coming from? It's clear your electrodes are breaking down so the gas has to come from them imo!

[@SpenserRoger]

Dude you have such a cool voice and unique flow to your words. Enunciation is really good too btw! I'm glad the yt algo treated you well and I hope it hits you again soon nice to see an upload your hydrogen system blew me the pop away!

[@mndr951966]

Thank you....good effort But please review the way the words are pronounced.... In public videos, the word must be pronounced in full and easy to listen... thank you And I ask you, please, to make a video on the method of yellow chrome that looks like gold

[@TheDIYScienceGuy]

Thanks! Sorry but which words did I not pronounce correctly?

[@fuelban]

I should have watched to the end of video before asking the question, so now you have answered the questions I had..LOL... Still highly interesting, ( I'll be Back ). Thom in Scotland.

[@ponga782]

Excellent video! Way more informative than any I have seen.. I have tried nickel plating and had the same problem of the part not plating properly. I will try limiting the amount of nickel anode in the solution to decrease the voltage.. I am using a cell phone charger 5v 2.4a..

[@julianrobinson1357]

Awesome work. I would suggest that when plating the electrodes to limit the current to 25mA. it will take longer but also ensure a more even distribution of nickle. Also turn the electrodes around regularly and agitate the solution regularly.

[@dennissoutherland1272]

A good magnet under the cup can stir up the water or keep it moving. Not sure if it will hurt the plating or not.

[@TheDIYScienceGuy]

Nice suggestion I will give it a try! 👍

[@LEO-xo9cz]

What is the optimal voltage and how do you work out what voltage and current is best for plating?

[@TheDIYScienceGuy]

Set your power so that you have the least amount of bubbles on the anode.

[@julianrobinson1357]

@@LEO-xo9cz - The voltage required will depend on the resistance of the electrolyte, ideally you would want the electrolyte to be as concentrated as you can possibly get it, higher concentration of the electrolyte means less resistance which means less voltage required. When voltage is passed through water with an electrolyte in it bubbles will start forming at the electrodes, these bubble of Hydrogen and Oxygen will disrupt the electro-plating process, so using too much voltage and too much current will result in an uneven and poor quality plating. So the idea is to use as low voltage and current as possible to reduce the amount of water separation (bubbles forming on the item being plated), in order to ensure a good even and strong plating. although it will take longer it will be worth the wait. It is useful to have a good quality power supply with voltage and current regulation.

[@TSPhotoAtlanta]

Fantastic video - I'm learning, I'm learning! Love the practical demonstrations and the problem solving because there will always be issues, but the gist is in the solving of them. I'm curious how well the procedure to plate the copper would work on a plate, does it scale upward? Would work on silver (better conductor) or gold (unlikely to corrode)? Have you considered how to store hydrogen, even to pressurize for auto fuel tanks? Stay safe!

[@TheDIYScienceGuy]

Thanks!! In this video I show my hydrogen compressor: kzbin.info/www/bejne/iHa5aGZvpbeBmdk and in this one I'm plating a big copper electrode: kzbin.info/www/bejne/fYDToZVtn7d6ecU I find silver and gold to expensive to experiment with.

[@shaungarbry88]

Have you ever thought about using silver for the "plates"? I have seen someone make a hydrogen generator with washers. If you could use one once silver pieces, pure silver doesn't corrode or tarnish, from my understanding.

[@TheDIYScienceGuy]

Yes but because it is more expensive I chose nickle.

[@Mike-gr2ok]

Clean every thing your going to plate then only touch with gloves. You are using too much current and way to high voltage, go back to using the phone charger so you only get very slight bubbling, 25% vinegar and the rest distilled water. be patient and let it build up slowly. Use a fish air pump and bubble stone to stir the water. And use two anodes so it plates both sides at once. 60°c is a good temperature for the electrolyte solution. Good luck 👍

[@TheDIYScienceGuy]

Thanks for the info! 👍

[@LucaL1fe]

Hello, can someone please help me? I'm currently trying to rebuild the generator, but I think I made a mistake with buying the membrane. I bought PolyPropilen 150g/m2, which is actually for weed control. Unfortunately, the material is completely waterproof and doesn't conduct electricity. So when I apply a multimeter, there is no resistance (Ohm) measurable. Can this even work like this? Unfortunately, I have very little knowledge, so I would appreciate scientific answers. It would also be great if someone could provide an Amazon link to a more suitable membrane material (in the EU). Thank you very much in advance.

[@davidprock904]

What if you take a very thick sheet/slab of nickel and drill out a channel, treating it like a flat cup and fill it with molten copper, and make your connection to the copper

[@TheDIYScienceGuy]

That would be expensive and less conductive, butt good thinking! 👍

[@muntee33]

Also fume cupboard is a good idea. 1m x 1m x 1m to 1.5m frame (eg birdcage with one side cut out, cover with perspex, attach ventilation or sun light ducting to filter and fan, vent outside if desired

[@geodeaholicm4889]

have you considered useing some variety of carbon for the electrodes such as graphite ?

[@TheDIYScienceGuy]

Well, a lot of people have suggested it to me but the thing is that the resistance of graphite is a 100 times higher than copper so I'm not sure if it will work very well.

[@chadw8164]

@@TheDIYScienceGuy In my test, carbon rods seem to oxidize too, but strangely. The O2 is turned to CO2 (puts out an open flame) and the cells deteriorate in a dangerous way. Slim fragments or "grains" of carbon fall and short between the electrodes. I took them from old carbon/zinc batteries and pencils, not sure what sort of carbon

[@TheDIYScienceGuy]

Yes I did something similar years ago and it did not satisfy me at all!

[@GreenCaulerpa]

Chad W That’s not strange at all! 😄 The carbon rods are chemically quite inert to oxidation but not in electrolysis setups. When using a caustic solution you can exfoliate the graphite into graphene oxide and reduced graphene oxide which will turn the solution essentially brownish and then deep black the graphite is essentially oxidized just like a pieces of burning coals

[@Yhrim70]

@The DIY Science Guy - Thanks for the Great Video! Just come across your channel sort of by accident. But You've got my Attention. Never heard of anyone using copper electrodes for Hydrogen before. I thought about it once, but knew the copper would be eaten away quickly. I've also been recently messing with plating. My question is, if electrolysis can erode pure nickel in order to plate with it... if you did nickel plate the copper electrodes, HOW doesn't this thin nickel plating just erode away?? As a hydrogen unit is basically just electrolysis....? Seems like the nickel would get stripped off and redeposited on the next plate or etc?? But this didn't seem to happen in your test.... hum..... Very Interesting Concept though, and maybe I'm missing something in this. **IF** the nickel plating would hold up long term, THIS could be a GREAT Idea! Would really like to hear more about this, subscribing and going to do some searching on your channel :-)

[@TheDIYScienceGuy]

Thank you so much!! I'm no chemist but I think it has to do with metal oxides dissolving in an acid and precipitating out in a base. The oxide layer dissolves in an acid and exposes new metal and so on, but in a base the oxide does not dissolve so it protects the nickel underneath. Thanks for subscribing!!!

[@Yhrim70]

@@TheDIYScienceGuy Thanks for the Reply! I'm no chemist either... maybe a "garage scientist".... :-) Or maybe I'm just someone who likes to do their own work as much as possible, and learn everything I can so I can do More Work, and take what I learn in one project and be able to apply what I learned to help further a completely different project. In any case, I first started fiddling with hydrogen back... around 15 years ago? And I came up with a design i wanted to try way back then, but never had a mill, lathe, and etc to be able to try it. I am starting to get back into it again, if I can ever get caught up on other work I got to do. Anyway, Great Channel! Thanks Again!

[@GreenCaulerpa]

The DIY Science Guy Agree with your explanation 👍 Even though you are not a chemist this explanation is quite accurate. And yes, even though nickel is quite corrosion resistent it will dissolve in mineral acids and in contact with oxygen under organic acids. The oxide layer is insoluble in alkaline solutions though

[@Ian-of9oi]

What pressure do you store the hydrogen at?

[@TheDIYScienceGuy]

12.5 bar

[@klannstyle]

I hope you had good ventilation there, you were always so close and also above the jars. Also the salt method is more dangerous than the sodium carbonate one. But i suppose until now you know that one too. Regarding the nickel band that broke, i suppose it is too thin. But you make it with what you have around. Cheers

[@TheDIYScienceGuy]

Yes very well ventilated!

[@nurgle11]

Sodium carbonate will react with acetic acid (in the vinegar).

[@bromisovalum8417]

To get a nickel layer that is finely deposited and sticks (in commercial nickel plating) they use nickel ammonium double salts if I remember correctly. You then get a bright and shiny deposit instead of a jetblack which adheres badly. Also regulating current density is also important, CD has to be low during the plating process, although of course it will take ages. What I learned from my inquiries into plating platinum is that it is not possible to get a 100% perfect coat, and eventually the metal you applied the coating to will be exposed and react.

[@TheDIYScienceGuy]

Thanks for the info! 👍

[@grumpy3517]

Have you seen Robert Murray-Smith doing HHO with graphite plates?

[@TheDIYScienceGuy]

No, do you have a link?

[@grumpy3517]

@@TheDIYScienceGuy Here you go: kzbin.info/www/bejne/eaa9Zoqujtyfask

[@hydrogenh2energy964]

Hey, I appreciate your research :) You started doing electrochemistry research. What are the benefits of Nickel material over the 316 L electrode? Did you achieve the result that after a long time of water electrolysis, you remain a colorless electrolyte? I am persistently working on these preliminary tests, what chemical composition of the electrolytes I make, what molar concentrations, in aqueous solutions, to avoid staining of the solution. Did you experiment with what happens in the process of electrolysis of water when you add a little H2O2 Hydrogen peroxide to it?

[@TheDIYScienceGuy]

Nickel plates don't give of chromium. No I haven't tried H202 does that help, and how?

[@nikhildcunha4335]

What about Graphite electrodes Did you try ?

[@TheDIYScienceGuy]

No, graphite does not conduct electricity very well, only some exotic form.

[@nikhildcunha4335]

@@TheDIYScienceGuy thank you for clarifying

[@justinb3360]

what electrolyte did you use when testing the plated electrode?

[@TheDIYScienceGuy]

Sodium hydroxide.

[@adelinyoungmark1929]

yeah always wear gloves when working with heavy metal salts (Arsenic, cadmium, chromium, cobalt, lead, mercury, nickel, etc.) as most of them are readily soluble in water and can absorb into your skin.

[@chadw8164]

I'd try to just use the pure nickel strapping you have to make the anodes. I know it's a bit thin and floppy, but with a jig/frame you could get them straight/uniform enough. I'm just thinking the resistivity of nickel vs copper shouldn't really be a big concern? It's roughly 4 times as resistive. Hard to say at such high-amperage - small resistances could matter. Hard to say! Ever thought of purchasing a PEM cell? The membranes and materials seem hard to track down to build one Now I'm just wondering if I have a large enough container and big enough power supply to nickle plate my car's bumper hahah!

[@TheDIYScienceGuy]

No I don't like to use stuff the way your supposed to 😂 so no PEM, for now I will use my table cloth to seperate the gases. I'm going for the nickel plated copper, we'll see if it works in the long run. Nickel plating a bumper is also fun!

[@chadw8164]

@@TheDIYScienceGuy Always going the hard way haha Check out this guys cell. No compressor required to fill tanks, just a cell that can handle tank pressure kzbin.info/www/bejne/p4CUdJqDrquqbMU

[@郑和-f7w]

sorry my english is poor ,but i think use Na(oh) as electrolyte is awesome!

[@morningstarsci]

Any follow up to this where you use this in your generator? I would love to see it.

[@TheDIYScienceGuy]

Not yet, but it will come!

[@chemistryscuriosities]

You should check out electroless nickel plating with sodium hypophosphite which you can get on Amazon or ebay

[@STREYenergia]

muito bem , parabens pelos experimentos, ajuda muita gente na pesquisa sobre hidrogenio

[@the_socompsp]

i wonder if there is a resonant frequency that will cause an increase in hho production, pulsed DC of course..

[@TheDIYScienceGuy]

Apparently there is none.

[@the_socompsp]

@@TheDIYScienceGuy why have you tried? RF frequencies go all the way from AM radio, to visible light, all the way to gamma radiation, im having trouble imagining all those frequencies have been tried. and not just in water, try other electrolyte solutions as well.

[@sambarankumarbiswas2203]

Very fine

[@williamallport8923]

Metal has fumes yo. Vent yo sheet dude🖖

[@TheDIYScienceGuy]

I know, I did, thanks for the warning! 👍

[@mohammedqutubuddin2338]

Sir can you make video on nickel silicon carbide electro plating on aluminium.

[@TheDIYScienceGuy]

Thanks for the suggestion! I'll look in to it. 👍

[@greygleam]

as you discovered controlling the amperage IS important. tbere is an optimal window. too much is bad and too little also. google "hull cell" for testing. addition of about 45g/l of glycine(amino acid) can improve the deposit. its not a supet good brightener but it helps.

[@peterciurea7771]

How about plating your stainless elements with nickel? Seems the substrate is immaterial

[@TheDIYScienceGuy]

Yes that is possible but I'm using copper because it conducts electricity much better.

[@GreenCaulerpa]

The DIY Science Guy Nah. electroplating stainless steel is merely impossible without species additives

[@郑和-f7w]

i recommend you to add the Na(OH) as the electrolyte!

[@TheDIYScienceGuy]

That won't work because nickel does not dissolve in Naoh.

[@GreenCaulerpa]

The DIY Science Guy I think he recommends it as electrolyte in the electrolyzer

[@russbilzing5348]

You DO realize, I'm certain, that you could use some stored hydrogen or HHO to burn for heat, right?

[@TheDIYScienceGuy]

Yes of course! 👍

[@samueljames9342]

Voltage works well at 2.6vdc, .5 amp, slow but efficient

[@muntee33]

Have u test the purity of hydrogen.

[@TheDIYScienceGuy]

Yes 96% and up.

[@easystockoptions4067]

Late to the party, but inhalation hazard is just as serious as skin contact ;)

[@ChonkTek]

Wait, the nickel/salt/vinegar solution is carcinogenic?!? Nobody else has mentioned this. Can anyone elaborate?

[@TheDIYScienceGuy]

Nickle acetate is carcinogenic when you breath it in in powdered form. So I'm being as careful as possible.

[@MrStemkilla]

This solution is not going to work in the long run. I think it will be worse than the stainless. in the hydrogen generator you are effectively reversing the electroplating. you will simply be plating the other end with nickle then exposing the copper and plating the other end in copper. For this you would be better off just using the nickle strips themselves. to get maximum run time using these materials you will need to reverse the polarity of the cell occasionally. and have an excess of nickle in solution as well a making up the electrodes so that you get maximum electroplating on either electrode at any time. junk will still fall out of solution and your design needs to be accommodating to this. Just like deep cycle batteries, this is a similar posses as to how they age and how their design helps increase their life span. this thin electroplating will never be a long term solution.

[@chadw8164]

The first step in plating is making the nickel concentrate bath, and this requires an acidic solution (vinegar here) so the Ni can be absorbed. During electrolysis, he is using a basic solution as an electrolyte, so the Ni won't be able to enter the solution, and hence no electroplating will take part in the reaction.... I think

[@MrStemkilla]

@@chadw8164 it may be true that the nickle will not dissolve in a basic solution as it would an acid (im not sure it really makes a difference) but the mechanical aspect of electrons taking pieces of the metal away should still take place. what is not transferred to the negative electrode or dissolved into solution, will fall to the bottom of the tank. the strong base was not the reason for the failure in the first place it was the stainless steel being broken apart form the unintentional electroplating. It is basically like forced galvanic corrosion.

[@chadw8164]

@@MrStemkilla Can't say I've seen "electrons taking pieces of the metal away" as you've described in my testing. Of course, I've seen oxidization take place and rusty bits fall, but I don't think the electrons can physically break pieces of material off... The yellow stuff in the water with stainless plates is Cr ions. From my chemistry knowledge, I don't think electroplating is occurring here If it is being electroplated, Tim would've noticed build-up of material on the cathode plates..... and he's super smart and would have noticed, and let us know right? heh

[@MrStemkilla]

@@chadw8164 for electroplating to take place you need a current between two non touching pices of metal through a conductive liquid. thats how the nickle got onto the copper parts, thats how it will be removed. its a reversible possess. it takeing place is not a question, it is happening. thats what killed the stainless hardware and thats what will kill the very thin nickle plated copper parts. the materiel may not deposit on the other electrode effectively and just fall out of solution but that is indeed why only the positive electrodes are breaking down. the pure nickle tabs themselves is a better option as they are more conductive than stainless, and soft (easy to work with) however the best option its to coat the positive connections with a chemically resistant non conductive paint. the electrolysis plates will be corroding in the same manner and are consumable parts that will periodically need replaced at some point.

[@Clipster15]

From my experience, an alkaline solution such as sodium carbonate or sodium hydroxide, is less corrosive on nickel than an acid in anodic configuration. Especially an acid with the chloride ion present. The nickel does appear to corrode forming a precipitate of probably nickel oxide, though much slower - again from my experience. I don't know how it compares with stainless steel. But for a thin plate to work, it would have to be far better to last. I would be interested to see how manganese dioxide on titanium would hold up in this situation.

[@haroldwestrich3312]

Why don't you just use Nickel plates for your electrodes? at such low voltage - who cares about conductivity? you will never have to waste time plating again. ! Yay ! ! Maybe a little higher expense but when you start adding up the time and effort in that plating process; I think it's a win WIN ! !

[@TheDIYScienceGuy]

Nickle resistance is to high. I want to increase the efficiency and love to experiment!

[@haroldwestrich3312]

@@TheDIYScienceGuy I would not be surprised if a given size nickel wire had more resistance than a copper one - but on a HUGE sheet of nickel I'm surprised that it would have much resistance at all. Am I missing something here? Wouldn't a huge sheet of almost any metal have low resistance while submerged? Did you actually test the difference in resistance of a copper plate to a Nickel plate?

[@haroldwestrich3312]

@@TheDIYScienceGuy Sorry I re read my post and realized I didn't say "WOW that's an awesome Plating process you just did. I am so glad I watched it and thank you so much for posting your experiments! ! ! For some reason I thought this but did not TYPE it.

[@Synthematix]

2x d cell batteries will work better than any mains power supply

[@mdrafiqul3358]

😀

[@spamator12]

So how does it work? Did you plate with nickel all the copper plates and make a new cell? Where is the video where you open the old cell to see what happened inside? Can you recommend some Chinese panties (material) as a good membrane - is nylon still you best choice? I keep my fingers cross for your experiments.

[@TheDIYScienceGuy]

No not yet. It's pretty hard finding enough time to do all the experiments when you have a fulltime job and a family to take care of 🤔 but don't worry I'll get there. Polypropylene mesh works best. Don't no chinese stuff that can help.

[@spamator12]

@@TheDIYScienceGuy Cool! I'm reading about PEM cells and I would gladly compare these two. PEM is interesting, cause I have heard you have a much higher pressure and you don't need to compress hydrogen - you just put it directly to tank from the cell, but price is much higher. One more question - this transparent glass in you cell is plexiglass [Poly(methyl methacrylate] or something else? It looks like plexi but KOH or NaOH could damage it easily, so I'm not sure.

[@aaabbb-qv4ff]

It's solid polycarbonate?

[@mironmajkes3965]

I thought it was plexi... but after checking it reactivity even alcohol can dissolve it, so now I'm not sure...

[@spamator12]

This Polypropylene mesh - how many microns does the mesh have?

[@chrisjackson3324]

Wait! you startet with: "its cold, so i made a fire in here" and anfter 3 minutes you turn on ur HHO generator in a closed room where you set a fire just minutes ago xD

[@TheDIYScienceGuy]

No guts no glory!

[@geekoid183]

Do you have a reason to use sodium hydroxide or it's just cheap and easy to find ? Because I've read that this stuff is really corrosive for the human skin and so don't wanna use it with kids. However I spot another catalyst called "potassium carbonate" witch is way safer and also produce a more "pure" hydrogen and oxygen. (What ever "pure" mean x). So one and so fourth I continued my research and found like you that stainless steel electrode are not a good idea even with that electrolyte. They recommend "cold rolled steel". No mention that it will corrode with the water and potassium carbonate in contact... So my questions is : - Have you tried potassium carbonate on steel or stainless steel ? - Have you tried it with nickel electrode or do you think it will corrode ? Originally I was planing on doing it with sodium hydroxide and nickel plated electrode like you but do to those warning I've read on wikipedia I not so sure. And for my personal usage, how the nickel plated electrode turned out on your generator ? Thanks again for those great videos, learned a lot !

[@TheDIYScienceGuy]

Thanks! No never used potassium carbonate. I know that some people use potassium hydroxide solution because it has a lower freezing point. If sodium or potassium hydroxide is to corrosive to your taste you can use potassium or sodium carbonate. Steel will corrode away very fast so that is not a good alternative. I haven't jet made new nickel plated electrodes for my hydrogen generator but I will at some point!

[@wobblyjellyman69]

Lol you have an open fire next to your homebuilt hydrogen generator

[@TheDIYScienceGuy]

No guts no glory! 😉🤔

[@igotusername7611]

Dude the salt will produce toxic chlorin gass or somthing like that

[@TheDIYScienceGuy]

I'm using sodium hydroxide not sodium chloride so I'll be "OK"

[@igotusername7611]

The DIY Science Guy Ok thx for the info

[@TheDIYScienceGuy]

You're welcome! 👍

[@victoryfirst2878]

The CIA used this chromium oxide to kill people by a natural heart attack. If my memory is still good, Erin Brockovich sued the chromium company for poisoning a lot of workers and nearby residence. Keep on experimenting but be safe fella.

[@TheDIYScienceGuy]

Thanks! I will! 👍

[@AguaFluorida]

8:59 nickel carbonate is also green

[@TheDIYScienceGuy]

Nice catch! Thanks! 👍

[@AguaFluorida]

@@TheDIYScienceGuy I love your channel, you do really interesting (and worthwhile) projects and your presentation style is also very good. I'd make a far better chemist if I had your engineering and presentation skills!

[@rafiulmunna9381]

you cann use grafide instead .it has no side effects as far as i know

[@TheDIYScienceGuy]

The resistance of graphite is 100 times higher than copper so that would make it very inefficient. But thanks for the suggestion!

[@anthonypazoz4323]

@@TheDIYScienceGuy what is the Resistivity of Graphite in Ohm*m at 20 degrees Celsius?

[@buder5116]

literaly 2 day befor i get to buy a bunch of stainless the video show up T_T now im screwed

[@TheDIYScienceGuy]

Ok, well as long as you did not buy anything you still have a choice. You can do it the way I'm going to do it or you can buy stainless steel with a low or no chromium percentage.

[@buder5116]

@@TheDIYScienceGuy i gotta do more search it was just ironic

[@TerribleShmeltingAccident]

lol

[@TerribleShmeltingAccident]

Why use the copper at all? Why not just use the nickel electrode? I dont claim to know the answer, I'm trying to learn😁

[@TheDIYScienceGuy]

Because nickel doesn't conduct electricity as well as copper. With a nickel plated copper electrode you have a very well conducting electrode with only a very thin layer of nickel creating only a very small resistance instead of a full nickel electrode with a larger resistance overall.

[@my2centz196]

I've found a phone charger seem to be the best for me anyway otherwise I get a dirty job. Even then I still have issues if I leave it in to long. I'm not sure if my concentration has gotten so built up but if I leave anything in longer then a few minutes I get a ruff finish. I guess I could have contaminated it when the clip on the positive side got into the solution and it desolved into the solution lol.

[@TheDIYScienceGuy]

Yes you probably contaminated it I think, don't worry, as long as you know what went wrong you'll be ok 😉

[@hayatel2557]

If you don't have brown or black stuff forming during electrolysis it means your solution isn't contaminated. To get bright nickel plated additives is just a commercial way to increase the Price. Actually the brightness is obtained by balancing the amount of nickel acetate concentration , add nickel Chloride and boric acid and you will get a very shiny mirror finish

[@mehmetzirek1528]

somebody says "apple pie" in the background around 7:25

[@TheDIYScienceGuy]

🤣

[@el_engineer0p106]

yes!!

[@nezircaglar2381]

heavy plating

[@SJ72_Argo]

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣