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saekeaton64
07-12-2008, 10:37 PM
While doing a search I ran across this article.

(Question - Why does the surface tension of water decrease on adding
detergents? What is the phenomenon behind decrease in surface tension of
water?

In the solid and liquid phase, water molecules are bonded to each other by
virtue of an interaction between hydrogen atoms on one molecule and the
oxygen atom of another -- the process is referred to as "hydrogen bonding."
The result is a kind of "skin" on liquid water's surface.

Soaps and detergents have a polar head to which water is attracted and a
non-polar tail that is hydrophobic -- water repelling. When these substances
are present, they weaken the strength of the skin by interfering with
hydrogen bonding between water molecules because the polar end of the soap
or detergent is also attracted to the water.

"The surface tension of a liquid is defined as the energy required to
break through the surface. Liquids in which there are strong molecular
interactions, such as water, typically have high surface tensions. Surface
tension accounts for the spherical shape of liquid drops. The surface
molecules of a liquid are pulled sideways, but attractions from underneath
also pull them down into the liquid. This pulling of surface molecules into
the liquid causes the surface to contract and become as small as possible.
Guess which geometrical shape has the least surface for a given volume?
That's right-a sphere. So we see why raindrops, drops of oil, and falling
drops of molten metal are all spherical.
The surface tension of water is dramatically reduced by the addition of
soap or detergent. Soap or detergent molecules tend to aggregate at the
surface of the water, where their non-polar tails stick out away from the
water. At the surface, these molecules interfere with the dipole-dipole
interactions among water molecules, thereby reducing surface tension, often
as much as 90 percent.")

My thought is, if you would add a small amount of detergent to the electrolyte solution it may greatly increase the production of HHO.

What do you think?

Stratous
07-12-2008, 11:01 PM
Cant hurt to try, be wary of the chemicals released though, electrolysis has a tendency to break the bonds released hazardous chemicals from what ever is added.