Is there a material or an element that can repel hydrogen?

[Maija Brandt]

I’m working on an idea that I have, and I was wondering if there was something that could repel hydrogen. Not water, not oxygen, just hydrogen. Thanks!

 

[Drakkith]

I don't believe so. Neutral hydrogen is usually bound with another atom of itself in a gaseous state, so it doesn't act like a liquid and bead up like water does. It just bounces around like all gas molecules do. In case you were actually asking about containing hydrogen in a container, just know that hydrogen is extremely difficult to contain due to its small size. It will slowly leak out of just about any container.

 

[sophiecentaur]

I’m working on an idea that I have, and I was wondering if there was something that could repel hydrogen. Not water, not oxygen, just hydrogen. Thanks!

Hydrogen cannot pass easily through a solid surface but, given time, it will leak through a thin balloon membrane.
Hydrogen atoms (and all other atoms) are electrically neutral so they cannot be moved (attracted or repelled) by a uniform Electric Field. Slow moving H atoms will be repelled when they meet up with another atom at slow speed because the fields around atoms are not uniform (simple non-quantum model). If they are fast enough (e.g. a hot gas) they can have enough energy to overcome the repulsion and they can form a molecule with the other atom. H + H → H₂ is an example.

 

[Bystander]

https://www.hindawi.com/journals/amse/2014/438216/

 

[sophiecentaur]

https://www.hindawi.com/journals/amse/2014/438216/

Which particular bit of that reference could help us with this? I started on it but life's too short.

Also, perhaps the OP could expand a bit on the question and what the "idea" involves.

 

[Bystander]

The Pd membrane might be useful for "sorting" hydrogen from oxygen/water.

 

[sophiecentaur]

The Pd membrane might be useful for "sorting" hydrogen from oxygen/water.

Very high pressure and very small holes can produce surprising effects (as with reverse osmosis filtering of water) so I guess it might work. The actual numbers involved (dimensions of holes and pressure) would be very relevant.

 

[Bystander]

Very high pressure and very small holes

Not necessary, really; hydrogen is quite "soluble" in palladium.

 

[sophiecentaur]

Not necessary, really; hydrogen is quite "soluble" in palladium.

Oh yes, of course - H2 storage for vehicles. PF is just great for fresh ideas injected into threads and for reminding us of stuff that's buried somewhere deep in memory.
I wonder whether that would help in breaking chemical bonds and producing H₂ directly (from H₂O or other compounds, instead of using Electrolysis first. It would still require immense pressure, I think.

 

[Bystander]

PF is just great for fresh ideas injected into threads and for reminding us of stuff that's buried somewhere deep in memory.

..., or, for recalling the Pons/Fleischman fiasco.