This is an interesting energentic experiment I may get around to trying.
Basis: The action of Hypochlorous acid on Aluminum (also Iron) is reported to produce (slowly) H2 and Cl2 (see http://www.rexresearch.com/scragg/scragg.htm ). The latter, in the presence of strong sunlight/LED, is reported to produce an explosion, the
magnitude of which has been desribed as 5 times that of H2 and O2 (see http://chemistry.proteincrystallography.org/article176.html and demo at http://www.ecobabble.com/hydrogen-and-chlorine-reaction/ ). Warning, this is one big boom from my personal observation with a slightly oversized
hydrogen and oxygen explosion as a kid. Interestingly, per Wikipedia (link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydrogen ), notes that "Hydrogen can react spontaneously and violently at room temperature with chlorine and fluorine
to form the corresponding hydrogen halides", so caution should be exercised. For a safe lab procedure on the H2/Cl2 photo sensitive lab reaction see
http://www.rsc.org/Education/EiC/issues/2009Nov/ExhibitionCh... .
Step 1. Add vinegar (dilute Acetic acid) to Chlorine bleach (NaOCl, Na2CO3, NaCl, NaoH,..) forming dilute Hypochlorous acid (HOCl):
NaOCl + HAc --> NaAc + HOCl
Step 2. Combine in a partially compressed plastic vessel (to allow for gas expansion) Aluminum foil and the HOCl from Step 1. Screw on the cap
tightly. Place in the dark outside.
As to the chemistry, hydrogen is from the reaction of unprotective Aluminum (the Al2O3 layer weaken with drop in pH) and water:
2 Al + 6 H2O --> 2 Al(OH)3 + 3 H2
The Chlorine is most likely from the reaction of decomposed HOCl as follows:
HOCl --> HCl + O
HCl + HOCl --> Cl2 + H2O
....
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