3 ms·
The term used was "re-energized" because "the energy potential is resident within the catalyst." That is NOT a catalyst, as roelschroeven correctly commented.
by eesmith 2y ago
The term used was "re-energized" because "the energy potential is resident within the catalyst."
That is NOT a catalyst, as roelschroeven correctly commented.
Otherwise a rechargeable battery would be a "catalyst" because it too needs to be re-energized or replaced.
What a catalyst does is lower the activation barrier between two states, without providing net energy. Getting H2 from H2O, i.e. electrolysis, requires adding energy. We know this because fuel cells work in the other direction to produce power, and entropy always increases.
- mojomark 2y agoI was not referring to electrolysis, I was referring to the chemical reaction between water and certain Aluminum compounds to liberate H2 (which creates Aluminum oxide and other byproducts, and if you want to recover the Aluminum catalyst, you must add energy to remove the Oxygen from the Aluminum oxide (i.e. "re-energizing" the catalyst so that it can be used again in a reaction with water). Pretty straight forward.
- eesmith 2y agoWhat you describe is not catalysis. If oxygen is bound to the aluminum oxide, and requires energy to remove, it is not a catalyst. Why are you capitalizing Aluminum and Oxygen?