The production of sodium borohydride by a novel electrolysis method

Most of the energy used in the world is obtained from fossil fuels. Some reasons like air and enviromental polution, high energy costs and depletion of fossil fuels, increased the importance of studies about new and renewable energy sources in the world and our country.Among the new and renewable energy sources hydrogen has great importance. Hydrogen which exists in great amounts in the world has the highest energy content per unit mass.To use hydrogen as an energy source it is necessary to store it safely and at low costs in a suitable medium. There are many kinds of physical and chemical hydrogen storage methods. Sodium borohydride which has high hydrogen storage capability yield and safety has gained great importance in storage of hydrogen. Except hydrogen storage, sodium borohydride is used as a fuel in fuel cells and also it can be used to produce hydrogen directly if necessary.In this study, sodium borohydride is produced by electrolysis using sodium chloride and sodium metaborate as raw materials in different concentrations and applying different electrode potential differences. Also same experimental studies were done to purify the pruducts which were obtained from electrolysis.Keywords: Sodium borohydride, electrochemical method, hydrogen energy