Electrolyte droplet spraying in H2 bubbles during water electrolysis under normal and microgravity conditions

Publikation: Beitrag in FachzeitschriftForschungsartikelBeigetragenBegutachtung

Beitragende

  • Aleksandr Bashkatov - , Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR), University of Twente, Rheinisch-Westfälische Technische Hochschule Aachen (Erstautor:in)
  • Florian Bürkle - , Professur für Mess- und Sensorsystemtechnik (Autor:in)
  • Çayan Demirkır - , University of Twente (Autor:in)
  • Wei Ding - , Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR) (Autor:in)
  • Vatsal Sanjay - , University of Twente (Autor:in)
  • Alexander Babich - , Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR) (Autor:in)
  • Xuegeng Yang - , Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR) (Autor:in)
  • Gerd Mutschke - , Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR) (Autor:in)
  • Jürgen Walter Czarske - , Professur für Mess- und Sensorsystemtechnik (Autor:in)
  • Detlef Lohse - , Max Planck Institute for Dynamics and Self-Organization, University of Twente (Autor:in)
  • Dominik Krug - , University of Twente, Rheinisch-Westfälische Technische Hochschule Aachen (Autor:in)
  • Lars Büttner - , Professur für Mess- und Sensorsystemtechnik (Autor:in)
  • Kerstin Eckert - , Professur für Transportprozesse an Grenzflächen (gB HZDR), Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR) (Autor:in)

Abstract

Electrolytically generated gas bubbles can significantly hamper the overall electrolysis efficiency. Therefore it is crucial to understand their dynamics in order to optimise water electrolyzer systems. Herein, we elucidate a distinct transport mechanism whereby electrolyte droplets are sprayed into H2 bubbles. These droplets arise from the fragmentation of the Worthington jet, which is engendered by the coalescence with microbubbles. The robustness of this phenomenon is corroborated under both normal and microgravity conditions. Reminiscent of bursting bubbles on a liquid-gas interface, electrolyte spraying results in a flow inside the bubble. This flow couples, in an intriguing way, with the thermocapillary convection at the bubble’s surface, clearly underlining the high interfacial mobility. In the case of electrode-attached bubbles, the sprayed droplets form electrolyte puddles affecting the dynamics near the three-phase contact line and favoring bubble detachment from the electrode. The results of this work unravel important insights into the physico-chemical aspects of electrolytic gas bubbles, integral for optimizing gas-evolving electrochemical systems.

Details

OriginalspracheEnglisch
Aufsatznummer4580
Seitenumfang10
FachzeitschriftNature Communications
Jahrgang16
Ausgabenummer1
PublikationsstatusVeröffentlicht - 31 Mai 2025
Peer-Review-StatusJa

Externe IDs

PubMed 40379635