Thread: Optimal Voltage in Electrolysis of Water

Hello,
We are doing a project at school which envolves Electrolysis of water. We want the process to be as much as efficient.
What is an optimal voltage?
How can we measure the optimal voltage in this system?
Is there any data about optimal voltage in Electrolysis?
Thanks in advance

"Optimum" voltage would be that which causes current flow LESS than the maximum allowed for the supply being used. The other consideration: excessive heating of the water.

Why not try melting sodium chloride, passing a current through, collecting the metallic sodium metal, then dumping IT into your water.

Much more eye-opening experiment!

But not quite as much so as igniting a toy balloon filled with Hydrogen gas! jocular

Originally Posted by jocular

"Optimum" voltage would be that which causes current flow LESS than the maximum allowed for the supply being used. The other consideration: excessive heating of the water.

Why not try melting sodium chloride, passing a current through, collecting the metallic sodium metal, then dumping IT into your water.

Much more eye-opening experiment!

But not quite as much so as igniting a toy balloon filled with Hydrogen gas! jocular

How do you calculate that amount?

Originally Posted by TheUnknowable

Originally Posted by jocular

"Optimum" voltage would be that which causes current flow LESS than the maximum allowed for the supply being used. The other consideration: excessive heating of the water.

Why not try melting sodium chloride, passing a current through, collecting the metallic sodium metal, then dumping IT into your water.

Much more eye-opening experiment!

But not quite as much so as igniting a toy balloon filled with Hydrogen gas! jocular

How do you calculate that amount?

Amount of current? You don't "calculate" it, but rather inspect the characteristics of the power supply, to determine it is not loaded excessively. Electrolysis does not, I think, have in general an "optimal" level of operation, but rather proceeds at a rate determined by supply characteristics. jocular

Originally Posted by jocular

"Optimum" voltage would be that which causes current flow LESS than the maximum allowed for the supply being used. The other consideration: excessive heating of the water.

Why not try melting sodium chloride, passing a current through, collecting the metallic sodium metal, then dumping IT into your water.

Much more eye-opening experiment!

But not quite as much so as igniting a toy balloon filled with Hydrogen gas! jocular

Thanks for the answer. We are using H2SO4 instead of sodium chloride. We haven't completely understood how to measure this Optimum Voltage.

Originally Posted by javedansari

Read the whole story on our website by clicking Define Electrolysis here.

Thanks, we'll benefit from this. Is there any information about the optimal voltage of the process in the site?

I used the example of Sodium Chloride because of the difficulty involved. It must be melted before the electrolysis can take place, requiring a high temperature. NaCl dissolved in water, for example, will simply allow easier current passage, but will produce NO Sodium metal. jocular