For an electrolytic cell with solid polymeric electrolytes the coefficient of efficiency can reach 90 %. However, during operation hydrogen may penetrate into the working cavities as a result of deformation and condensation. This may cause a reduction of the average pressure of a cell, and consequently, of the power output. Besides, the penetration of hydrogen into the system environment is not safe.
For the prevention of hydrogen penetration into the working cavities and into the laboratory environment, a catalytic oxidation of hydrogen at low temperature is offered. Existing hydrogen oxidation catalysts contain mainly platinum or metals of the platinum group. These catalysts are quite efficient, but, certainly also very expensive. Intensive research is conducted all over the world to identify oxidation catalysts not containing expensive metals of the platinum group and to develop related "know-how". The objective of our research was the development of a catalyst technology for the effective oxidation of the hydrogen. This catalyst does not contain of the precious metals.
The complex of the executed research has allowed the development of an essentially new way of synthesis of a low-temperature active compound, and also a way to apply the active compound to the carrier matrix, a silicon fiber structure of high surface area.
The structural variation of active components and supports has resulted in the creation of catalysts with high efficiency during deep clean-up of combustible gases. The study of catalysis, and also of physical and of physical-chemical properties of the synthesised catalysts has shown that the new method of low-temperature synthesis of Co3O4 has resulted in a highly active catalyst with high levels of gas permeation. By the development of such catalyst opportunities have been opened for the recycling reaction and for the exclusion of hydrogen penetration to the working cavities and to the laboratory environment. Atom adsorption spectroscopy, electron spectroscopy, X-phase and chemical analysis, and also thermal desorption of argon were employed to study the nature of the active catalytic compound, its structure and composition.
The research of the kinetics of the clean-up process for hydrogen has been carried out in a gas dynamic installation under strictly controlled conditions of parameters like:
- volumetric flow rate of the gas stream,
- mass of the catalytic agent,
- process temperature.