Zinc corrosion element for producing hydrogen from alkaline solution at a predetermined gas evolution rate

摘要

Sufficiently pure, non-amalgamated zinc powder is contaminated on the surface with from 0.1 atom% to 10 atom% of a metal of the 8th subgroup of the Periodic Table and, optionally with the addition of a thermoplastic pressing aid, pressed into tablets. To start the evolution of hydrogen, the tablet is pushed into an alkali metal hydroxide solution to which small amounts of Rochelle salt (sodium potassium tartrate) may, if desired, be added. The preparation can be carried out by either introducing zinc powder into the solution of a salt of the other metal, so that extraneous metal is deposited on its surface, or else by coating its surface with a decomposable metal salt of the metal which subsequently, on thermal decomposition, leaves metal atoms on the surface.