Skip to main content
Tweeted twitter.com/StackChemistry/status/872644953893212160

I am making a hydrogen and oxygen generator by electrolysis water. I found out that using salt as an electrolyte creates a compound of chlorine and oxygen with my electrodes clouding up the water and using all of the oxygen from the reaction. Bubbles are coming off of only one electrode. In my research I found that sodium hydroxide is a better electrolyte because it doesn't create chlorine gas and shouldn't react with my electrodes. Unfortunately I don't have any, but I am making lye (KOH$\ce{KOH}$) from some hardwood ashes, will this work in place of NaOH$\ce{NaOH}$? I'm not sure if the potassium ions will conduct electricity in the same way. Thanks!

I am making a hydrogen and oxygen generator by electrolysis water. I found out that using salt as an electrolyte creates a compound of chlorine and oxygen with my electrodes clouding up the water and using all of the oxygen from the reaction. Bubbles are coming off of only one electrode. In my research I found that sodium hydroxide is a better electrolyte because it doesn't create chlorine gas and shouldn't react with my electrodes. Unfortunately I don't have any, but I am making lye (KOH) from some hardwood ashes, will this work in place of NaOH? I'm not sure if the potassium ions will conduct electricity in the same way. Thanks!

I am making a hydrogen and oxygen generator by electrolysis water. I found out that using salt as an electrolyte creates a compound of chlorine and oxygen with my electrodes clouding up the water and using all of the oxygen from the reaction. Bubbles are coming off of only one electrode. In my research I found that sodium hydroxide is a better electrolyte because it doesn't create chlorine gas and shouldn't react with my electrodes. Unfortunately I don't have any, but I am making lye ($\ce{KOH}$) from some hardwood ashes, will this work in place of $\ce{NaOH}$? I'm not sure if the potassium ions will conduct electricity in the same way. Thanks!

Source Link
Aeolus
  • 405
  • 3
  • 14

Will KOH work in place of NaOH as the electolyte in the electrolysis of water?

I am making a hydrogen and oxygen generator by electrolysis water. I found out that using salt as an electrolyte creates a compound of chlorine and oxygen with my electrodes clouding up the water and using all of the oxygen from the reaction. Bubbles are coming off of only one electrode. In my research I found that sodium hydroxide is a better electrolyte because it doesn't create chlorine gas and shouldn't react with my electrodes. Unfortunately I don't have any, but I am making lye (KOH) from some hardwood ashes, will this work in place of NaOH? I'm not sure if the potassium ions will conduct electricity in the same way. Thanks!