Aluminum (metal) is way more expensive than hydrogen. This is such a waste. Is it prohibitively difficult to recycle this scrap instead?
And if you go with this idea, what do you do with the spent aluminum hydroxide? That's toxic waste,
And if you go with this idea, what do you do with the spent aluminum hydroxide? That's toxic waste,
https://www.usgs.gov/centers/nmic/bauxite-and-alumina-statis...
One downside is that currently, graphite anodes are used, with which the oxygen of the hydroxide anion reacts, creating CO2 in an amount commensurate with the amount of of hydrogen produced - so this process would be far from carbon-neutral, though presumably this CO2 could be relatively easily captured in a pure form (disposing of it is another matter.)
Here's some research into reducing the CO2 production (by 50%) as well as being more efficient, but it is still in development with some as-yet unsolved problems:
https://news.osu.edu/electrode-to-lower-cost-of-aluminum-sme...
but wouldnt it be https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tin(II)_hydroxide ? since aluminum foil is not aluminum?