I read some discussions on reversing polarity doing electrolysis with contantan coins.
This is actually an interesting topic. Using alloys in oxidizing mode (coin = anode = +), whole surface of the coin will oxidize. Reversing polarity (coin = cathode = -) will have an interesting effect on the oxidized alloy: - first the oxidized 'most noble' metal will be reduced by combining hydrogen en metal oxide, forming the original metal and H2O. This will create local holes in the coin's surface where 'most noble' metal clusters are present. - second: the oxidized 'least noble' metal will not as easy be re-combined to metal and water because this oxide has a stronger O-M bond and won't re-combine with H2 as easy as the 'most noble' metal in the alloy. - repeating this cycle of revering polarity will creat tiny craters in the surface of the coin's surface, leaving the most noble metal (Nickel in this case) able to absorb Hydrogen in the coin-cathode mode. This method could create the NAE's Edmund Storms is referring to. This proces of oxidation of alloys and selective oxide removal is part of a Dutch patent published in 1997 (NL1001123C2) which is cited in Francesco Celani's patent published in Feb. 2012 (WO2011016014A2) describing improving hydrogen absorbtion of Nickel nano structures. Remember Celani is the one that demo'ed the Constantan setup.....so, could this be his pre-treatment method of his Constantan wire?
