Is a H2O-N2 to H2-N2O Catalyst Possible?

  • Thread starter Thread starter SAZAR
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Catalyst
Click For Summary
SUMMARY

The discussion centers on the feasibility of creating a catalyst that converts H2O and N2 into H2 and N2O at room temperature. Participants highlight the potential benefits of such a reaction, including hydrogen as a fuel source and N2O as a powerful oxidizer. The conversation references established concepts in catalysis, including the role of catalysts in altering reaction rates and the phenomenon of thermal water splitting, which has been studied since the 1960s. Key questions arise regarding the mechanisms behind these reactions and the possibility of enhancing hydrogen production through catalysts.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of catalytic reactions and their mechanisms
  • Knowledge of thermal water splitting processes
  • Familiarity with Gibbs free energy and chemical equilibrium
  • Basic principles of kinetics and thermodynamics
NEXT STEPS
  • Research the development of catalysts for H2O to H2 and N2O conversion
  • Explore advanced catalytic processes in chemical engineering
  • Study the kinetics of thermal water splitting and its implications
  • Investigate the role of impurities in catalytic reactions
USEFUL FOR

Chemists, chemical engineers, and researchers interested in catalysis, hydrogen production, and alternative fuel sources will benefit from this discussion.

SAZAR
Messages
200
Reaction score
0
How silly is this?

Catalysts work as sort of small chemical reactors -
they react with molecule of substance one and then the molecule of substance two is brought in the reaction
so those two can react now creating one or more new molecules as a final result
and also, by the way, leaving the catalyst unchanged - right?

Now - imagine a catalyst that takes in H2O and anything abundant (from the atmosphere) - say N2, so at room temperature it turns
H2O and N2
into
H2 and N2O (a laughing gas) :D
---

So - what are the thoughts on that? First: how much is such reaction discussed at all - I don't know?
Is it really possible to make such catalyst? (I mean the benefits of such chemical reaction are obvious - H2 can be used as fuel and N2O is a powerful oxidizer - those two could power vehicles and stuff...)
 
Engineering news on Phys.org
Please have a look at the wiki on catalysts:
Catalytic reactions have a lower rate-limiting free energy of activation than the corresponding uncatalyzed reaction, resulting in higher reaction rate at the same temperature.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catalysis

The purpose of a catalyst is to alter the rate of a reaction.
 
Even at ambient temperature it occurs that H2O splits into H2 and O2:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water_splitting
:
"but at ambient temperatures only one molecule in 100 trillion dissociates by the effect of heat"
"Thermal water splitting has been investigated for hydrogen production since the 1960s"

Does it happen because of impurities? Which impurity then? Or maybe it happens without impurities - then why - what causes it?
Why does it happen for that "crazy" one while others stay unchanged?
Maybe we would learn something if we could spot that one little rascal. :9
(I don't say it's a catalyst reaction maybe it's some common chemical reaction - but why does it wait to occur - is it just temperature... I mean - what happens there? Maybe some electric current occurred? Maybe a nuclear reaction of some nearby atom triggered it?)

I mean - what ever it is it produces hydrogen at room temperature without our intervention, on its own!
If we figure what happened we could use that to make that effect on larger scale.
 
Last edited:
It produces hydrogen but very slowly and inefficiently. And the process is very well understood from the kinetic and thermodynamic points of view, there is nothing here that won't be described by known and well established theories. Please read about chemical equilibrium and so called Gibbs free energy.
 

Similar threads

Replies
2
Views
3K
Replies
1
Views
2K
Replies
2
Views
2K
  • · Replies 7 ·
Replies
7
Views
4K
  • · Replies 9 ·
Replies
9
Views
4K
  • · Replies 2 ·
Replies
2
Views
2K
Replies
7
Views
3K
Replies
19
Views
4K
  • · Replies 19 ·
Replies
19
Views
8K
  • · Replies 2 ·
Replies
2
Views
2K