H2 energy production from aluminum wastes via CuO/Cu2O-GO nanocomposite

Hydrogen is a very important renewable energy for all the world. In this study it was aimed to highligth the H₂ production via copper (II) oxide/graphene oxide (CuO/GO) nan°Composite from wastes containing aluminum (Al) with high energy density. The effects of nan°Composites such as CuO, copper (I) oxide (Cu₂O), CuO-GO, Cu₂O-GO on H₂ production efficiencies were determined. The physic°Chemical properties of the CuO, Cu₂O, CuO-GO, Cu₂O-GO like their structural, morphological, and surface properties for H2 production from waste Al was analyzed with XRD and FTIR analyses. H₂(g) productions were measured with a gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). During the experimental studies, important optimum reaction conditions for H₂ production, such as temperature, pressure and reaction rate, were constantly controlled. For maximum H₂ production (4897 mmol), the lifetime of electron hole pairs and nan°Composite diameter should be 350 ns, and 10 μm, respectively. The cation (Cd⁺² and Fe⁺³) anion (Cl^-1 and SO₄^{- 2} ) concentrations should be 0.01 mg/L and 0.1 mg/L while the Cu⁺² persentage in the CuO/GO nan°Composite should be 3% in a nan°Composite concentration of 1.2 mg/L after 40 min photoreaction, at pH=8.0 and at Al⁺³ concentration of 200 mg/L. As a result of these, the high_{energy density of Al provides high H₂ production with low Al⁺³ consumption. Finally, Al⁺³ water reaction results in zero greenhouse gas emissions while the Al⁺³ reactions are exothermic, and the aluminum hydroxide [Al(OH)3}] can be converted to Al₂O₃, which Al⁺³ can be recovered.