Experimental campaign on the chemical composition of aluminium powders for hydrogen production

Abstract The reaction between aluminium and water has garnered significant interest in materials science due to its promising applications, particularly in hydrogen production. In this context, repurposing aluminium powder derived from waste presents a potentially sustainable pathway for low-impact hydrogen generation. This study explores the reaction mechanisms of various waste-sourced aluminium powders under different heating procedures in an uncontrolled (air) atmosphere. Post-reaction, the samples were analyzed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) to assess their morphology, alongside energy-dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) for semi-quantitative chemical composition. Additionally, Rietveld refinement was applied to X-ray diffraction (XRD) data to identify the resulting crystalline compounds. The analysis revealed the formation of several aluminium-based compounds (such as AlN, Al 2 O 3 , Al 2 MgO 4 ), with no trace of pure aluminium remaining after thermal treatment. This finding highlights the high reactivity of the tested waste powders. Overall, the study offers valuable insights into the reaction pathways of aluminium powders and supports the potential of using waste aluminium in hydrogen production processes.