Experimental investigation and performance assessment of magnesium-based hydrogen generation

• Mg based hydrogen production is uniquely studied using Mg powder and scraps. • The effects of various effects and parameters on hydrogen production are assessed. • It appears to be an effective option for waste Mg for hydrogen production. • Mg powder gives better hydrogen production results. This paper investigates a uniquely designed experimental hydrogen production system with a distillation unit through magnesium hydrolysis. Two types of magnesium sources were tested: 100-µm powder particles and magnesium scrap, with their microstructures analyzed by scanning electron microscopy. Hydrolysis reactions were conducted at room temperature (19 °C-22 °C) to study the effect of environmentally friendly solutions on reaction kinetics and hydrogen production. Various solutions were evaluated, including NaCl and NaOH as additives. Among the samples, the highest hydrogen capacity was achieved using 7 wt% NaCl with magnesium powder, reaching 1.38 mL H 2 /g Mg in 15 min. In comparison, simulated seawater (3.5 wt% NaCl) produced 1.18 mL H 2 /g Mg over the same period. Hydrogen production was monitored by measuring the instantaneous hydrogen generation rate (mL/min) and calculating cumulative hydrogen capacity throughout the reaction.