Final Draft Research Project ProposalBy: Tucker Hair

Jenna MahdiCesar Avila

Chem 152 LabTA: Udeep Chawla Sec. 1A

11/4/2013

Introduction:

Hydrogen storage, as technology has progressed thus far, is dangerous and risky. In many cases hydrogen is separated from the reactive oxygen in the air by only a few micro meters of metal filament. The goal of this research is provide an alternative method of storage for hydrogen. It’s well known that magnesium is a good holder for hydrogen, and it forms magnesium hydride, which is stable and quite readily made. The problem using it for storage thus far has been that it takes as much energy to put on the hydrogen as it does take it off and therefore no net power could be made. However, the process of using a laser on the magnesium hydride to knock off the hydrogen gas is currently being invented. What is left behind after the hydrogen leaves is 2Mg2+¿¿. Therefore in theory, if we create the sample and then shoot it with a laser, we could test the sample in an EDTA titration to show the existence of

2M g2+¿¿, thus proving that we removed hydrogen gas. We will need to perform the titration before and after the laser test to prove that there were no ions to start with. We will also need to keep track of before and after weights to log how much mass of hydrogen gas we are giving off. These calculations will help give us an idea of how efficient our samples are and assist us in altering the composition of the samples. We are currently testing a sample with 70% (by weight) MgH2, 30% Nafion, and 1% Ni. The nafion is added to serve as a binding agent to the sample. The nickel is added to darken the sample and make it absorb more light. We will also be testing a sample with 70% (by weight) MgH2, 30 % Viton, and 1% Ni. The EDTA titration will be the major technique employed in the lab. What it is going to do for us is show the mols of EDTA equal the mols of Mg2+ and from there we can calculate the concentration and total mass. But most of the work will be done is studying the effects of the laser on our samples and attempting to perfect the results through educated guesses and trial and error.

Experimental:

The materials we intend to acquire are as follows:

* 4 1cm2 glass plates to be used as a platform to test samples on* Magnesium hydride, exact amounts will be acquisitioned for from the Don Gervasio lab in Harshburger.* Nickle nano particles, exact amounts will be acquisitioned for from the Don Gervasio lab in Harshburger.* 5% nafion solution has been donated by Paul Smith to this project.* 5% viton solution has been donated by Paul Smith to this project.

- All materials will be acquired the Friday before the start of the lab, November 15th, and stored in Tucker Hair’s locker for the remainder of the lab.

The materials we expect to be provided

*.075M Solution of EDTA, made from mixing: Mass 6.979 grams of the disodium salt Na2H2EDTA with 250ml of water (This should be enough to last through the duration of the lab.)*Small amount of Erichrome Black T as an indicator

*All glassware and scales to perform a complexometric titration*mortar and pestle to crush our solid samples into a powder

Experimental

Prior to the start of the research lab, Tucker Hair will preform the laser techniques, in Paul Smith’s lab, on the plates in order for them to be ready for class. He will shine the laser on the samples at one wavelength and at 17.5 amps.

After this, we will take the plates to class and begin our experiment to determine the concentration of the divalent ion, Mg2+ and to establish which samples obtain the best results.

We will begin by cutting each plate into four equal sections. We will then scrape each section off, into a small beaker, and determine equal weights using a balance. This will result in 16 different trials from four different samples.

After this, we will use the mortar and pestle to grind each trial into finer powder. To make solutions out of this, we will add 100 mL of distilled water to each trial in order to make

a solution of the sample. We will end up with 16 different solutions that came from four different plates.

Then we will begin preforming the EDTA titration. To do this, first we must make the EDTA titrant, 0.075 M EDTA. We will do this by massing 6.979 g of the disodium salt with 250 mL of distilled water. We will use a stir rod to make sure this is dissolved fully.

Next we will preform the EDTA titration by having our sample solution, containing a few drops of the indicator, Erichrome Black T, in a beaker and adding the EDTA titrant slowly from the buret. We will continue to add the EDTA until the indicator turns the sample blue.

Our first trial will be used to determine if our EDTA concentration is correct and efficient with the titration. If it is not, we will adjust by either increasing the concentration or decreasing it. We will preform four trials on each plate, to make sure our answers are precise.

We will record all our data and clean up the lab, making sure to dispose of the chemicals correctly.