ZnO Nanoparticle Synthesis using Nd: Yag Laser for Increasing Hydrogen Fuel Cell Performance

In this work, the hydrogen evolution reactions on stainless steel electrodes in ultra-pure water (UPW) and water-based Zinc oxide colloid solutions have been investigated. Ultra-pure water with electrical conductivity (0.45µs) was used to synthesize ZnOnano colloidal using pulsed laser ablation of zinc metal in water. All experiments were performed using a Q-switched Nd-YAG laser operating at fundamental mode 1064nm with 9ns pulse duration, at fixed laser output energy (750mJ). Different number of pulses (250, 500, 750 and 1000) was applied with the aim to affect the concentration of synthesized ZnO colloidal. AFM micrograph of nano-colloidal was revealed that the synthesized nanoparticles have a spherical shape with average diameters about25nm. The pH and electrical conductivity values of all solutions were measured simultaneously at room temperature. Hydrogen generator-fuel cell driven by 30 volts as input source is developed with ZnO nanocolloidal. PH variation is within range 7-8.1 and electrical conductivity variation is 0.45-15.8 µs/cm. The optimum ZnO NPs concentration of pH 8.1 and electrical conductivity 15.8µs/cm has been observed, which gives the maximum H2/O2 output of 1.2 mL/s.