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Title: Thermochemical production of hydrogen. [metalloidal element from Group V and VI and their compounds]

Patent ·
OSTI ID:7189199

A closed cycle reaction sequence is described for the thermochemical production of hydrogen utilizing, as an intermediate, a metalloidal element from Group V or Group VI of the periodic system, specifically, an element from the arsenic-antimony-bismuth subgroup of Group V or the selenium-tellurim subgroup of Group VI, and the compounds thereof. The closed cycle process comprises the steps of: (1) hydrolyzing an intermetallic compound of a metal, preferably an alkali or alkaline earth metal, and a metalloidal element of the type described, thereby producing an oxide or hydroxide of the metal, hydrogen, and the metalloidal element, or a compound which readily yields hydrogen and the metalloidal element; (2) reacting the metalloidal element with the metal oxide or hydroxide, thereby regenerating the intermetallic compound and producing a marginally stable oxide of the metalloidal element; (3) reducing the oxide of the metalloidal element with a reducing agent which can be regenerated by thermal decomposition, thereby regenerating the metalloidal element and oxidizing the reducing agent; and (4) decomposing the oxidized reducing agent, thereby regenerating the reducing agent and producing oxygen. The net reaction of the foregoing sequence is the decomposition of water into hydrogen and oxygen. 11 claims, no drawings.

Assignee:
U.S. Energy Research and Development Administration
Patent Number(s):
US 3928549
OSTI ID:
7189199
Resource Relation:
Patent File Date: Filed date 20 Jun 1974; Other Information: PAT-APPL-481,263
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English