Transcript nickel, iron, manganese (IV) oxide, and cobalt nitrate

If 6 combinations of catalyst mixtures:
1. nickel + iron,
2. nickel + cobalt nitrate,
3. nickel + manganese (IV) oxide,
4. cobalt nitrate + manganese (IV) oxide,
5. manganese (IV) oxide + iron,
6. iron + cobalt nitrate,
are made using the 4 individual catalysts: nickel, iron, manganese (IV)
oxide, and cobalt nitrate, then the percent efficiency of the cobalt
nitrate and iron mixture will be the highest because the individual
efficiencies of cobalt nitrate and iron are the two highest individual
efficiencies (based on years 1 and 2 of study).
If the concentrations of the 6 combinations are varied by altering
the concentrations of 1 out of the 2 catalysts in each mixture in
increments of:
• 1 gram of catalyst 1 & 1 gram of catalyst 2,
• 1 gram of catalyst 1 & 2 grams of catalyst 2,
• 2 grams of catalyst 1 & 2 grams of catalyst 2,
• 3 grams of catalyst 1 & 2 grams of catalyst 2
(where catalyst 1 and 2 are tested simultaneously),
then the combinations including cobalt nitrate will be most
efficient when there is 3 grams of cobalt nitrate and 2 grams
of the other catalyst present in the solution, or 2 grams of
cobalt nitrate and 1 gram of the other catalyst present in
the mixture, because out of the 3 catalysts (cobalt nitrate,
manganese (IV) oxide, and iron), excluding nickel, that were
tested in years 1 and 2 of this study, the cobalt nitrate
proved to be most efficient.
The objective of this study is to determine how efficiently a
nickel-based catalyst can be at splitting water (H2O) into
hydrogen molecules and oxygen molecules, compared to the
efficiency of water splitting with a cobalt nitrate-based catalyst,
an iron-based catalyst, and a manganese (IV) oxide-based
catalyst (data from years 1 and 2 of study).
The objective of this study is to determine the potential of
using four catalysts combinations* to increase the efficiencies of
water splitting of H2O into hydrogen molecules and oxygen
molecules, as compared to the efficiencies of water splitting using
the individual catalysts, cobalt nitrate-based catalyst, an ironbased catalyst, a manganese (IV) oxide-based catalyst, and a
nickel-based catalyst.
*(1) manganese (IV) oxide + iron, (2) nickel + iron, (3) nickel +
cobalt nitrate, (4) nickel + manganese (IV) oxide based catalyst,
(5) cobalt nitrate + manganese (IV) oxide, (6) iron and cobalt
nitrate.
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19 grams of Nickel powder
6 grams of Manganese (IV) Oxide powder
7 grams of Iron powder
8 grams of Cobalt Nitrate powder
3,780 mL of Phosphate Buffer solution pH 7
9V batteries (4)
22-gauge electrical wire
Alligator clips (12) and screw driver
Wire cutter and stripper
Breadboard, about 3" x 2"
10K Ohm resistor
Voltmeter/Multimeter (able to read 10 millivolts)
Coke (enough to clean electrodes)
Jar that the nickel metal strips can completely fit inside (1); must be taller than 5 inches.
250 mL beaker
Small Styrofoam block
Nickel metal strips (2); strips (5 inches tall and ¾ inch wide).
Magnetic stir plate and stir bar (1)
Pair of disposable gloves
Pair of safety goggles
Lab apron
Metal scoop for handling chemicals
Stopwatch
Analytical Balance (measures up to 2 decimal places)
plastic containers with secure lid (small in size but large enough to store chemicals)
Part 1 of experimentation: Testing Nickel as a Catalyst
1) Collect all needed materials to complete the project. Put on safety goggles, apron, and gloves to
prevent all health hazards that could be caused by the needed chemicals.
2) Take 10 grams of nickel powder and split into 24 parts using metal scoop, each part being 0.25 grams.
Measure using analytical balance.
3) Place each part consisting of 0.25 grams carefully into containers with a lid to prevent spills.
4) Create a circuit on the breadboard using the 4 (9 Volt) batteries, resistor (10k ohms), voltmeter, 22guage electrical wire, and 6 alligator clips.
a) Connect the 4 (9 Volt) batteries in series using wire and 6 alligator clips.
i) Cut 7 pieces of the wire to preferred length using the wire cutters.
ii) To be able to connect the wires to each component in the circuit, the ends of
the wire need to be stripped and coil the wire onto the alligator clip.
iii) Using the alligator clips with the wire attached, connect the 4 batteries so that
the negative end of one will be connected to the positive end of the next battery in the series.
b) With a piece of wire, connect the + end of the series of batteries to the breadboard.
c) Connect the 10K Ohm resistor to breadboard.
i) You either connect the resistor to the same row as + end of batteries, or the
same column.
d) Connect the + (red) lead from the voltmeter to the breadboard.
i) The voltmeter’s + lead is connected in the same position and the same row as
the end of the resistor.
e) Connect the negative (black) lead from the voltmeter to the breadboard.
i) The voltmeter's negative lead is connected to a position on the right half of the
breadboard.
f) Connect a small wire piece between a position in the same row as the voltmeter's negative
lead and the ground bus.
g) With a piece of wire, attach the negative end of the series of the batteries to the ground
bus.
5) The circuit is complete. Read the voltmeter and make sure the circuit reads >30V.
6) Use the metal nickel strips as the electrodes.
a) To clean the electrodes, pour cola into a jar/cup (big enough to fully soak the electrodes).
Put both electrodes in the cola. Make sure they are fully soaked. After 2-3 minutes, remove the
electrodes and rinse with plain water. Place them on a paper towel to dry.
b) Take a block of Styrofoam to secure the electrodes in place when making an electrical
connection.
i) When securing the electrodes in the Styrofoam, and separate them 1-2 centimeters apart.
Make sure they are not loose or are touching the sides of the beaker.
ii) Make sure that the nickel electrodes only are soaked half way in the phosphate buffer
solution. It is very important to ensure the top of electrodes DO NOT touch phosphate buffer solution.
7) Pour 180 mL of 0.1M phosphate buffer solution, pH 7.0, to the beaker with the electrodes so that the
electrodes are immersed half way in the phosphate buffer solution. Measure the solution using
graduated cylinder for the exact measurement.
8) Place stir bar in the bottom of the beaker.
a) Make sure that the electrodes are not too low so that they will not be bumped by the stir
bar. If the electrodes are too low, raise them until they do not interfere with the stir bar.
9) Connect the electrodes to the rest of the circuit using copper wire and alligator clips.
a) One wire is connected to a position in the same row as the voltmeter's positive lead, and
the other wire is connected to a position in the same row as the voltmeter's negative (on other half of
breadboard).
10) With the electrodes in a secure place inside the beaker, place the beaker on a magnetic stir plate.
Turn the stir plate on and get the stir bar moving at a constant rate.
a) Check if the electrodes are not bumping into the stir bar. If they are, adjust them. Then
keep them in the same position throughout the experiment.
b) Turn on stopwatch. Record readout on voltmeter every 1 minute.
11) Observe the voltage readout on the voltmeter. It should range between 2.3-2.5V and will take
about 1-1.5 hours to stabilize.
12) Record the voltage readout every minute on data sheet and stop until the voltage has stabilized.
13) Do not empty out the beaker containing the Phosphate buffer solution.
14) Calculate the baseline efficiency of the water splitting in your electrochemical cell. (Efficiency=
(1.23V/Measured Voltage)*100)
15) Adding nickel powder: Keep on disposable gloves to protect the hands from the chemical. Take a
container of the nickel powder from step 3 and add 0.25 grams of nickel powder to the phosphate
buffer solution in the beaker.
a) Using a stopwatch, start the time.
b) With the energy provided by the batteries, the catalyst will begin to form.
16) The nickel-based catalyst will begin to electroplate onto the anodic nickel electrode. As the
catalyst film grows, you will see a brown coating forming on the anode, and the voltage readout on the
voltmeter will slowly decrease. After about 10 minutes the voltage will slowly stabilize. Stop the
stopwatch and record how much time it took.
a) Record the voltage readout on the voltmeter per minute on data sheet, and wait until
stabilization.
b) You will notice tiny bubbles forming on the electrodes as the reaction takes place. 17)
17) Once the voltage stabilizes. Record the reading, add 0.25 more grams of cobalt nitrate to the
solution making a total of 0.50 grams added to the phosphate buffer solution.
a) Record how long it takes the voltage to stabilize and also record the final reading.
18) Add 0.25 more grams of nickel powder to the solution making a total of 0.75 grams of nickel added
to the phosphate buffer solution.
a) Repeat step 17a
19) Add 0.25 more grams of nickel powder to the solution making a total of 1.00 gram of nickel powder
added to the phosphate buffer solution.
a) Repeat step 17a
20) Add 0.25 more grams of nickel powder to the solution making a total of 1.25 grams of nickel powder
added to the phosphate buffer solution.
a) Repeat step 17a
21) Add 0.25 more grams of nickel powder to the solution making a total of 1.50 grams of nickel powder
added to the phosphate buffer solution.
a) Repeat step 17a
22) Add 0.25 more grams of nickel powder to the solution making a total of 1.75 grams of nickel powder
added to the phosphate buffer solution.
a) Repeat step 17a
23) Add the final 0.25 grams of nickel powder, making a total of 2.00 grams of nickel powder added to
the phosphate buffer solution.
a) Repeat step 17a
24) The voltage should have appeared to stop decreasing, or remained at a constant voltage.
a) Record your results (voltage readout).
25) Safely remove the nickel electrodes. Dispose the nickel powder and phosphate buffer solution from
the beaker into a tightly closed glass jar so that it is empty.
a) Place the nickel electrodes in the jar of cola to wash. Wait 2-3 minutes and remove. Rinse with
water and dry.
26) Rinse out beaker with plenty of water and dry with paper towel(s).
27) Repeat steps 7-26, 2 more times to ensure accurate data.
28) Safely clean up area.
a) The remaining nickel powder, and the remaining phosphate buffer solution must be
disposed. The containers in which all chemicals were stored must be disposed. To safely dispose, place
chemicals in a tightly closed glass jar and go to your county Residential Hazardous Waste Disposal site to
dispose.
c) Rinse beaker and graduated cylinder with plenty of water, allowing all chemicals to be
washed out.
d) The nickel electrodes can be saved to use for future experiments. Dip both electrodes in
cola to remove nickel. Dry the electrodes, and store in a safe location along with other materials that
can be used not including chemicals.
Part 2 of experimentation- Testing Catalyst Mixtures
1) Gather chemicals needed for this portion of experimentation: 3240 mL of phosphate buffer solution
pH 7, 9g of nickel powder, 8g of cobalt nitrate powder, 7g of iron powder, and 6g of manganese (IV)
oxide powder. Keep the electrochemical cell connected from part 1 of experimentation, and make
sure the batteries are fresh, along with a clean beaker with clean electrodes and stir bar.
a) using an analytical balance, divide each chemical into 1g increments (9 containers of
nickel powder with 1g of nickel in each container, 8 containers of cobalt nitrate powder with 1g of
cobalt nitrate in each, 7 containers of iron powder with 1g of iron in each container, and 6 containers of
manganese (IV) oxide powder with 1g of manganese (IV) oxide in each container).
2) Pour 180 mL of phosphate buffer solution pH 7 into the beaker, and leave electrodes out of the
beaker until the catalyst is poured in.
a) take 1g of nickel powder and 1g of cobalt nitrate powder (these are in containers from
step 1a) and carefully pour them into the phosphate buffer solution in the beaker.
b) place the electrodes into the phosphate buffer solution with the catalyst mixture.
3) record the voltage readout on the voltmeter per minute until stabilization occurs.
4) since stabilization has occurred, pour in 1g of cobalt nitrate, making 1g of nickel and 2g of cobalt
nitrate in the solution.
a) repeat step 3
5) pour in 1g of nickel powder into the beaker, making a total of 2g of nickel and 2g of cobalt nitrate in
the solution
a) repeat step 3
6) pour in the final 1g of nickel powder into the beaker, making a total of 3g of nickel and 2g of cobalt
nitrate in the solution
a) repeat step 3
7) carefully remove the electrodes and place them in the jar of coke to be cleansed.
a) carefully pour out the catalyst and phosphate buffer solution in the beaker into a tight,
glass jar with a lid to be disposed later.
b) wearing gloves, take a damp paper towel and clean the inside of the beaker and wipe
off any chemicals on the stir bar- be sure to dispose the paper towels used in a safe place near the
chemical jar from step 7a to be disposed later.
8) repeat steps 2-7b, but this time using nickel and iron as the catalyst mixture.
9) repeat steps 2-7b, but this time using nickel and manganese (IV) oxide as the catalyst mixture.
10) repeat steps 2-7b, but this time using cobalt nitrate and manganese (IV) oxide as the catalyst
mixture.
11) repeat steps 2-7b, but this time using cobalt nitrate and iron as the catalyst mixture.
12) repeat steps 2-7b, but this time using iron and manganese (IV) oxide as the catalyst mixture.
13) Safely clean up area.
a) The remaining chemicals, and the remaining phosphate buffer solution must be disposed
or returned to its designated owner if the chemicals were borrowed. The plastic containers in which all
chemicals were stored, the glass jar with the chemical solution waste, and any materials such as the
damp paper towels used to clean the stir bar and beaker must be disposed. To safely dispose, place
chemicals in a tightly closed glass jar and go to your county Residential Hazardous Waste Disposal site to
dispose.
c) Rinse beaker and stir bar with plenty of water, allowing all chemicals to be washed out.
d) The nickel electrodes can be saved to use for future experiments. Dip both electrodes in cola to
remove nickel. Dry the electrodes, and store in a safe location along with other materials that can be
used not including chemicals.
Individual Catalyst
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The results were that the final efficiency for trials 1,2, and 3 of testing nickel individually were very
close, and the apex efficiency of the nickel was an average of 39.34%.
– Trial 1: By adding 0.25g of nickel powder, the voltage readout after stabilizing was 4.12V, and
the efficiency was 29.85%. By adding 0.50g of nickel powder, the voltage readout after
stabilizing was 3.17V, and the efficiency was 38.80%. By adding 0.75g of nickel powder, the
voltage readout after stabilizing was 3.15V, and the efficiency was 39.05%. By adding 1.00g of
nickel powder, the voltage readout after stabilizing was 3.13V, and the efficiency was 39.30%.
The voltage readouts for 1.00g-2g stabilized at 3.13V, with an efficiency of 39.30%. Therefore,
the final voltage reading was 3.13V and the final efficiency was 39.30%.
– Trial 2: By adding 0.25g of nickel powder, the voltage readout after stabilizing was 4.12V, and
the efficiency was 29.85%. By adding 0.50g of nickel powder, the voltage readout after
stabilizing was 3.16V, and the efficiency was 38.92%. By adding 0.75g of nickel powder, the
voltage readout after stabilizing was 3.15V, and the efficiency was 39.05%. By adding 1.00g of
nickel powder, the voltage readout after stabilizing was 3.14V, and the efficiency was 39.17%.
By adding 1.25g of nickel powder, the voltage readout after stabilizing was 3.13V, and the
efficiency was 39.30%. By adding 1.50g of nickel powder, the voltage readout after stabilizing
was 3.12V, and the efficiency was 39.42%. The voltage readouts for 1.50g-2g stabilized at 3.12V,
and had an efficiency of 39.42%. Therefore, the final voltage reading was 3.12V and the final
efficiency was 39.42%.
– Trial 3: By adding 0.25g of nickel powder, the voltage readout after stabilizing was 4.11V, and
the efficiency was 29.93%. By adding 0.50g of nickel powder, the voltage readout after
stabilizing was 3.17V, and the efficiency was 38.80%. By adding 0.75g of nickel powder, the
voltage readout after stabilizing was 3.14V, and the efficiency was 39.17%. By adding 1.00g of
nickel powder, the voltage readout after stabilizing was 3.13V, and the efficiency was 39.30%.
The voltage readouts for 1.25g-2g stabilized at 3.13V, and had the efficiency of 39.30%.
Therefore, the final voltage reading was 1.94V and the final efficiency was 39.30%.
Catalyst Mixtures
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Cobalt Nitrate and Manganese (IV) Oxide mixture-with 1g of cobalt nitrate and 1g of manganese (IV) oxide, the efficiencies for trials 1, 2, and 3, were
63.08%, 63.40%, and 63.08%, respectively (an average of 63.19%).
-with 2g of cobalt nitrate and 1g of manganese (IV) oxide, the efficiencies for trials 1, 2, and 3, were
65.78%, 65.78%, and 66.13%, respectively (an average of 65.90%).
-with 2g of cobalt nitrate and 2g of manganese (IV) oxide, the efficiencies for trials 1, 2, and 3, were
68.72%, 68.72%, and 68.72%, respectively.
-with 2g of cobalt nitrate and 3g of manganese (IV) oxide, the efficiencies for trials 1, 2, and 3, were
73.21%, 73.21%, and 72.78% (an average of 73.07%).
Cobalt Nitrate and Iron mixture-with 1g of cobalt nitrate and 1g of iron, the efficiencies for trials 1, 2 , and 3, were 66.49%, 66.49%,
and 66.85%, respectively (an average of 66.1%).
-with 1g of cobalt nitrate and 2g of iron, the efficiencies for trials 1, 2, and 3, were 67.96%, 67.58%,
and 67.96%, respectively (an average of 67.83%).
-with 2g of cobalt nitrate and 2g of iron, the efficiencies for trials 1, 2, and 3, were 64.06%, 64.06%,
and 64.06%, respectively.
- with 3g of cobalt nitrate and 2g of iron, the efficiencies for trials 1, 2, and 3, were 72.78%, 72.78%,
and 73.21%, respectively (an average of 72.92%).
Iron and Manganese (IV) Oxide mixture-with 1g of iron and 1g of manganese (IV) oxide, the efficiencies for trials 1, 2, and 3, were 57.48%,
57.21%, and 57.48%, respectively (an average of 57.39%).
-with 2g of iron and 1g of manganese (IV) oxide, the efficiencies for trials 1, 2, and 3, were 64.74%,
64.74%, and 64.40%, respectively (an average of 64.63%).
-with 2g of iron of 2g of manganese (IV) oxide, the efficiencies for trials 1, 2, and 3, were 64.06%,
64.06%, and 64.06%, respectively.
-with 2g of iron and 3g of manganese (IV) oxide, the efficiencies for trials 1, 2, and 3, were 64.06%,
64.06%, and 64.06%, respectively.
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Nickel and Manganese (IV) Oxide mixture-with 1g of nickel and 1g of manganese (IV) oxide, the efficiencies for trials 1, 2, and 3, were 78.34%,
77.85%, and 77.85%, respectively (an average of 78.01%).
-with 1g of nickel and 2g of manganese (IV) oxide, the efficiencies for trials 1, 2, and 3, were 79.87%,
80.39%, and 80.39%, respectively (an average of 80.22%).
-with 2g of nickel and 2g of manganese (IV) oxide, the efficiencies for trials 1, 2, and 3, were 76.88%,
77.36%, and 76.88%, respectively (an average of 77.04%).
-with 3g of nickel and 2g of manganese (IV) oxide, the efficiencies for trials 1, 2, and 3, were 76.88%,
77.36%, and 76.88%, respectively (an average of 77.04%).
Nickel and Cobalt Nitrate mixture-with 1g of nickel and 1g of cobalt nitrate, the efficiencies for trials 1, 2, and 3, were 68.33%, 68.72%,
and 68.33%, respectively (an average of 68.46%).
-with 1g of nickel and 2g of cobalt nitrate, the efficiencies for trials 1, 2, and 3, were 72.35%, 70.29%,
and 69.89%, respectively (an average of 70.84%).
-with 2g of nickel and 2g of cobalt nitrate, the efficiencies for trials 1, 2, and 3, were 71.10%, 71.10%,
and 71.51%, respectively (an average of 71.24%).
-with 3g of nickel and 2g of cobalt nitrate, the efficiencies for trials 1, 2, and 3, were 68.33%, 68.72%,
and 68.33%, respectively (an average of 68.46%).
Nickel and Iron mixture-with 1g of nickel and 1g of iron, the efficiencies for trials 1, 2, and 3, were 67.96%, 68.33%, and
67.96%, respectively (an average of 68.08%).
-with 1g of nickel and 2g of iron, the efficiencies for trials 1, 2, and 3, were 69.89%, 70.29%, and
69.89%, respectively (an average of 70.02%).
-with 2g of nickel and 2g of iron, the efficiencies for trials 1, 2, and 3, were 71.10%, 71.10%, and
71.51%, respectively (an average of 71.24%).
-with 3g of nickel and 2g of iron, the efficiencies for trial 1, 2, and 3, were 68.33%, 68.72%, and 68.33%,
respectively (an average of 68.46%).
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Out of all 4 catalysts tested (cobalt nitrate, iron, manganese (IV) oxide, and nickel), the cobalt
nitrate proved to be most efficient individually when tested, with an average of efficiency of 64.40%,
with nickel proving to be the worst individual catalyst, having an average efficiency of 39.94% (less
efficient than hydrogen production using the sole phosphate buffer solution which had an
efficiency of 51.90%). The nickel’s efficiency was so low most likely due to the reason that the
electrodes were made of nickel, not allowing the nickel powder to electroplate on the electrodes.
-the hypothesis was not supported, as the voltage when nickel was added had reached its apex
and stabilized after the addition of 1.25g, not 1.50g.
Out of all 6 mixtures created (a nickel and iron-based catalyst, a nickel and cobalt nitrate-based
catalyst, a nickel and manganese (IV) oxide based catalyst, a cobalt nitrate and manganese (IV)
oxide based catalyst, a manganese (IV) oxide and iron-based catalyst, and an iron and cobalt
nitrate-based catalyst), the nickel and manganese (IV) oxide mixture at the concentration, where
1g of nickel and 2g of manganese (IV) oxide composed the solution, attained the highest average
efficiency of 80.22%. These results are ironic as the nickel and manganese (IV) oxide as individual
catalysts had the 2 lowest average efficiencies of 39.34% and 59.71%, respectively.
- the hypothesis was not supported, as even though the cobalt nitrate and iron were the top two
catalysts tested individually with average efficiencies of 64.40% and 63.40%, respectively, the
mixture of those two catalysts did not produce hydrogen most efficiently, and the apex efficiency
that mixture was able to reach was 72.92% (with the concentration of 3g of cobalt nitrate and 2g of
iron).
- the hypothesis was not supported, as the mixtures including cobalt nitrate (where the
concentrations there was 2g of cobalt nitrate and 1g of the other catalyst and where there was 3g
of cobalt nitrate and 2g of the other catalyst) were unable to produce hydrogen most efficiently,
and the manganese (IV) oxide and nickel concentration produced hydrogen more efficiently.
Overall, the use of catalyst mixtures produced hydrogen more efficiently than all of the catalysts
tested individually.
The nickel and manganese (IV) oxide mixture where 1g of nickel and 2g of manganese (IV) oxide
resulted in 15.82% increase in efficiency from the highest efficiency attained by the tested individual
catalysts.
3.5
Average Efficiencies of Manganese (IV) Oxide and Cobalt Nitrate
Mixture
84.00%
81.50%
2.5
Manganese (IV) Oxide
Cobalt Nitrate
Average Efficiency
79.00%
76.50%
74.00%
71.50%
2
69.00%
66.50%
1.5
64.00%
61.50%
1
59.00%
56.50%
0.5
54.00%
51.50%
0
49.00%
1
2
3
Trial Number
4
Efficiency
Amount of Catalyst (in grams)
3
Average Efficiencies of Nickel and Manganese (IV) Oxide Mixture
3.5
84.00%
81.50%
79.00%
76.50%
2.5
2
74.00%
Nickel
Manganese (IV) Oxide
Average Efficiency
71.50%
69.00%
66.50%
1.5
64.00%
61.50%
1
59.00%
56.50%
0.5
54.00%
51.50%
0
49.00%
1
2
3
Trial Number
4
Efficiency
Amount of Catalyst (in grams)
3
Average Efficiencies of Iron and Manganese (IV) Oxide Mixture
3.5
84.00%
81.50%
2.5
Manganese (IV)
Oxide
Iron
79.00%
Average Efficiency
74.00%
76.50%
71.50%
2
69.00%
66.50%
1.5
64.00%
61.50%
1
59.00%
56.50%
0.5
54.00%
51.50%
0
49.00%
1
2
3
Trial Number
4
Efficiency
Amount of Catalyst (in grams)
3
Average Efficiencies of Iron and Cobalt Nitrate Mixture
3.5
84.00%
81.50%
2.5
Cobalt Nitrate
Iron
Average Efficiency
79.00%
76.50%
74.00%
71.50%
2
69.00%
66.50%
1.5
64.00%
61.50%
1
59.00%
56.50%
0.5
54.00%
51.50%
0
49.00%
1
2
3
Trial Number
4
Efficiency
Amount of Catalyst (in grams)
3
Average Efficiencies of Nickel and Cobalt Nitrate Mixture
3.5
84.00%
81.50%
3
Nickel
79.00%
2.5
76.50%
Average Efficiency
74.00%
71.50%
2
69.00%
66.50%
1.5
64.00%
61.50%
1
59.00%
56.50%
0.5
54.00%
51.50%
0
49.00%
1
2
3
Trial Number
4
Efficiency
Amount of Catalyst (in grams)
Cobalt Nitrate
Average Efficiencies of Nickel and Iron Mixture
3.5
84.00%
81.50%
2.5
79.00%
Nickel
Iron
Average Efficiency
76.50%
74.00%
71.50%
2
69.00%
66.50%
1.5
64.00%
61.50%
1
59.00%
56.50%
0.5
54.00%
51.50%
0
49.00%
1
2
3
Trial Number
4
Efficiency
Amount of Catalyst (in grams)
3
Average Efficiencies of Individual Catalysts vs. Amount of
Catalyst
68.00%
63.00%
58.00%
Efficiency
53.00%
48.00%
43.00%
38.00%
Cobalt Nitrate
Manganese (IV) Oxide
Iron
Nickel
33.00%
28.00%
0
0.25
0.5
0.75
1
1.25
Amount of Catalyst (in grams)
1.5
1.75
2
All pictures taken by: Nidhi Ohri (researcher)
All charts and graphs were produced by: Nidhi Ohri (researcher)
How efficient can a nickel-based catalyst be at splitting
water (H2O) into hydrogen molecules and oxygen molecules,
compared to the efficiency of water splitting with a cobalt
nitrate-based catalyst, an iron-based catalyst, and a manganese
(IV) oxide-based catalyst (data from years 1 and 2 of study)?
How can the use of catalyst combinations* affect the
efficiencies of water splitting as compared to the efficiencies of
the cobalt nitrate-based catalyst, manganese (IV) oxide-based
catalyst, iron-based catalyst, and nickel-based catalyst, that are
tested individually?
*(1) manganese (IV) oxide + iron, (2) nickel + iron, (3) nickel +
cobalt nitrate, (4) nickel + manganese (IV) oxide based catalyst,
(5) cobalt nitrate + manganese (IV) oxide, (6) iron and cobalt
nitrate.
In the fourth year of this study, I’d like to investigate further as to what
reaction caused the nickel and manganese (IV) mixture catalyst attain
80.22% efficiency. Also, I will:
• Create more specific concentrations of the nickel and manganese
(IV) oxide catalyst where the manganese (IV) oxide makes up for
majority of the concentration, since that concentration was when the
mixture reached its apex efficiency.
• Add a catalyst(s) to the nickel and manganese (IV) oxide mixture to
determine whether the addition or absence of cobalt nitrate and/or
iron causes a substantial increase in efficiency of hydrogen fuel
production.
The breadboard consists a 10k
Ohm resistor, and negative
and positive leads that
connect to the anode and
cathode, and the voltmeter.
This container depicts what the
premixed catalysts looked like
after being weighed. The above
shows 1g of cobalt nitrate mixed
with 1g of manganese (IV) oxide.
The nickel and cobalt nitrate catalyst
mixture created a light pink solution
where part of the nickel solution was
visibly separated from the rest.
The manganese (IV) oxide and
cobalt nitrate catalyst mixture
created a light pink solution
where the manganese (IV)
oxide settled at the bottom of
the beaker.
The iron and
manganese (IV) oxide
mixture, where the
solution concentration
was composed of 1g
of both catalysts,
turned a gray-lime
green shade.
The voltmeter displays an
efficiency of 54.18%, during trial 1
of the manganese (IV) oxide and
iron mixture.
The nickel and cobalt nitrate catalyst mixture
created a light pink solution where part of the
nickel solution was visibly separated from the
rest.