Idiots trying any Electrolyte

[T-Labs]

What are you guys thinking??? This is chemistry and if you do not know it, do NOT just try something without research of what GAS you are producing. YOu will produce Chlorine, Iodine, Hydrochloric and an array of other poisonous gases.

THeir is only 1 electrolyte to use, Period. To produce pure Oxygen and hydrogen.

[myoldyourgold]

T-Labs you failed to mention the one electrolyte.

[Farrahday]

The most efficient electrolyte commonly available is KOH. This is simply because potassium hydroxide has the greatest tendency to ionise into the ionic species K+ and OH- when added to water.

KOH is strongly alkaline and like any relatively strong alkaline or acidic compound in solution, it will react with (corrode) most metals.

Although copper and aluminium both form there own protective oxide coating, while these coatings are quite effective in air and plain water, they afford little protection to the metal in acid and alkaline solutions.

If you can't afford platinum (who can?) then stainless steel is relatively inert and resistant enough to be acceptably useable in electrolysers.

Of course if you only intend to use plain water, then there will be no corrosion due to acidic or alkaline action if using, for example copper electrodes. However, the anode will still tend to oxidise and you will no longer be getting a stoichiometric proportion of hydrogen and oxygen gases from your electrolyser water.