Aluminum Scrap to Hydrogen: Complex Effects of Oxidation Medium, Ball Milling Parameters, and Copper Additive Dispersity

An effective combination of oxidation medium, ball milling parameters, and copper additive disperstiy ensuring fast aluminum scrap reaction with high hydrogen yield, was suggested. Different parameters (5, 10, 15 mm steel balls; 1 2 h; unidirectional bidirectional rotation modes) were tested for Al-10 wt.% Cu (50–70 μm) composition. The samples milled 5 (2 h) 10 (1 balls contained undesirable intermetallic phases Al2Cu Cu9Al4, while those activated provided the second-finest powder best preservation original Al phases. Among (at 60 °C) M solutions NaCl, LiCl, KCl, MgCl2, ZnCl2, BaCl2, CaCl2, NiCl2, CoCl2, FeCl2, AlCl3, first six appeared to be almost useless (below 4% yield), following four better results, ultimate 91.5% corresponded AlCl3. Samples dispersity 50–100 nm, 1–19, 50–70, 150–250 μm, no additive, under optimal in Their total yields similar (~90–94%), rates differed. highest rate obtained sample modified 50–70 μm powder.