Electricity cost study of sodium borohydride synthesis by the sodium/mercury amalgam method

Nowadays, industrialisation and demands of people to live better conditions cause to increase energy consupmtion. However, energy perspective changed in worldwide and aimed to decrease dependency on oil to diversify on primary energy resources since first oil crisis. In this context, fuel cells that inverts hydrogen to electrical energy take an important place of future energy-generating resources. Fuel cells have a wide area of usage on especially electronics, vehicles and electric/heat production plants along with civil institution and military. But hydrogen storage that used on fuel cells cause critical problem. At this point ,sodium borohydride produced from boron minerals known as one of the hydrogen production agent and storage. Aqueous alkaline solutions of sodium borohydride releases hydrogen that stored catalytically. Sodium borohdyride can store 20% hydrogen by mass. It is not flammable/explosive. The reaction of sodium borohydride to give hydrogen can be controlled easily. Half of the released hydrogen comes from hydride and the other half is from water. The catalyst and sodium metaborate can be recycled. The hydrogen gas generated from sodium borohydride solution catalytically could be converted into energy in non-recyclable batteries or fuel cells. In this thesis study, sodium borohydride was obtained applying electrode potential on sodium metaborate and sodium chloride in various concentrations by the electrolizing method and electricity cost of sodium borohydride acquired was interpreted by examining parameters during synthesis. Keywords : Sodium borohdyride, fuel cells, hydrogen storage