On Sep 9, 2007, at 5:39 AM, Jones Beene wrote:
Horace,
Excellent insight.
One question though. You seem to be balking at H2 as the electron
transport molecule of choice. This would be due to its high
mobility, small size and mass and intermediate electron affinity
(about halfway between a good donor and acceptor)
Not balking, just not limiting to that possibility.
In fact, I think it may well be that hydrogen mixed with water vapor
is the best transport medium. This mix would also form hydrogen
peroxide and our old friends H3O+ and OH- in gas mode, by
disassociation, a famous type II mechanism. The differing electron
affinities for gold and and lead could even help spawn excess
hydronium and hydroxyl ions, i.e. drive the H2O ---> H3O+ + OH-
reaction rate, catalyze it. A pulse across such a gaseous medium is
going to drive OH- to the acceptor and H3O+ to the donor very fast
and bingo! - type II free energy from the dissociation, plus ZPE
free energy due to both molecules arriving at the electrodes fat and
departing thin, plus the pulse amplification due to electron
affinity. Now there is hydrogen peroxide and OH in this gaseous
mix. Then it is much easier to electronate OH into OH- when it
returns to the donor side. If the gap is about the size of the mean
free path, a substantial current can be generated, sustained. I
don't know about OH, but the HOOH <--> OH + OH reaction must have
some equilibrium value.
What am I missing about H2 that would be a negative in this role?
The main problems with H2 is it is highly reactive and it is very
difficult to keep contained. Another is we don't actually know it
works, while it appears (to me anyway) there is evidence a zinc-water-
silver system does indeed work, even using the huge gap represented
by the thickness of a piece of paper.
It would be truly incredible to design a gadget that could run a home
for hundreds of years. That actually seems possible now.
Yes many materials are hydrided by contact but in a situation of
low heat (!300 k), and using gold plating on the acceptor and a
nitrided donor, then it would seem that the hydride could be
avoided. Anything else?
Yes. Many materials, BN for example, actually *bond* to hydrogen.
This is not good because it reduces the ability of hydrogen to escape
the donor. Further, the bonded hydrogen on the donor surface then
presents and electroneutral face to hydrogen in the gas.
Horace Heffner
http://www.mtaonline.net/~hheffner/
