Preparation, Properties and Uses of Hydrogen

Hydrogen can be said to be the heart of chemistry, from students to experts, if one has even a little bit of chemistry knowledge. They would probably be heard of hydrogen. Naturally, Hydrogen exists in the form of water (H20) or gas on earth. Having only one shell and 1 proton orbiting it, Hydrogen is the lightest element at present. It is placed on top of the periodic table in no. 1 of group and period. Hydrogen is chemically named H₂.

Hydrogen holds a critical position in chemistry. There are uncountable uses of hydrogen.

Preparation of hydrogen

Naturally, Hydrogen exists in the form of water (H20) or gas on earth. Serpentinization is the atmospheric process through which hydrogen is prepared in the atmosphere. At present, Hydrogen is prepared in various ways. There are various properties and uses of hydrogen, as per one’s requirement of use of hydrogen way is opted. Universally hydrogen is prepared by natural gasses, fossil fuels, oil, and many chemical reactions liberate hydrogen gas as their end product, resulting in hydrogen preparation.

 Hydrogen can be prepared by reacting dilute hydrochloric acid with granulated zinc. This process is used widely to prepare hydrogen. Other reactions which are used to prepare hydrogen are

1. The reaction of less reactive metals with steam. E.g. Zn + 2H2O(g) →  Zn(OH)2 + H₂(g)

2. The reaction of highly reactive metals with cold water.  

E.g. 2Na + 2H2O(w)→  NaOH + H₂(g)

Industrial methods of preparing hydrogen

Industries opt for another way to prepare hydrogen, they use catalytic steam-hydrocarbon process. In this process, hydrocarbons (gaseous) are made to react with steam at high pressure somewhere between 650°- 950° C,  over a nickel catalyst. The end products of this reaction are carbon oxides and hydrogen gas.

i.e.,  CnH2n+2 + nH2O → nCO + (2n + 1)H2 ; CnH2n+2 + 2nH2O → nCO2 + (3n + 1)H2

This method is used widely and in every petrochemical industry to prepare hydrogen.

Bosch’s process is used widely in industries to produce hydrogen. In Bosch’s process, Hydrogen is prepared by passing steam over red hot-coke, that too at high temperature. Water gas is the product of this process from which hydrogen is separated for further use.

The products of this reaction are carbon monoxide and water gas, it becomes very hard to separate hydrogen from water so rather than only using hydrogen, the mixture of steam and hydrogen is used in the reaction.

i.e.,  (CO + H₂) + H2O → CO2 + 2H2

Commercial methods of preparing hydrogen.

Commercially hydrogen is produced by the method of electrolysis, acidified water is electrolyzed between platinum electrodes. Hydrogen can be formed by reacting hydrocarbons with steam at high pressure and in presence of a catalyst.

i.e., Anode Reaction: 2H2O → O2 + 4H++ 4e– 

Cathode Reaction: 4H++ 4e– → 2H2

Properties of Hydrogen

Hydrogen with atomic no.1 is a non-metallic, odorless, non-toxic, tasteless, colorless and combustible element of nature. Hydrogen possesses different properties than any other element of the periodic table.

 Physical properties of hydrogen

·         Hydrogen is the most abundant element of the universe.

·         The atomic weight of hydrogen is 1.00794.

·         The ionic radius of hydrogen is 1.54 Å.

·         Hydrogen is burned with oxygen to form water.

·         Hydrogen is present with carbon sharing bonds.

·         Hydrogen has 2 isotopes, deuterium, and tritium.

·         Hydrogen is colorless

·         It is odorless.

·         Highly flammable

·         Untouchable. Hydrogen is present everywhere in the world.

·         Hydrogen is non-toxic and non-metallic.

Chemical Properties of Hydrogen

• Hydrogen is highly combustible it can explode with the concentration of 5-74% in air and with chlorine, it is 4-74%

• Hydrogen can form organic and covalent bonds.

• Hydrogen can also form isomers, hydrides, and isotopes.

• Hydrogens have a weak force of attraction between their molecules.

• Hydrogen is neutral towards litmus.

• It acts as a reducing agent . for example It reduces oxygen at 1073 K in presence of electric spark to form water.

2H2 +O2 → H2O

For example :

(i)It reduces halogens to halogen acids under different conditions.

H2 +  Br2 → 2HBr

(ii)It reduces boiling sulphur at 713 K  to H2S  and metal.

H2 +  S→ H2S 

• Hydrogen oxidizes active metals like Li ,Na, K, Ca etc to form hydrides.

Uses of hydrogen.

There are more than two uses of hydrogen due to its dual nature, Its uses vary from liquid hydrogen uses and hydrogen in gaseous form to hydrogen in a cell.

Liquid hydrogen uses

• Liquid hydrogen is used to store concentrated hydrogen in liquid form, it occupies less space than in gaseous form.
• Liquid hydrogen can be used as liquid fuel in space shuttles and or various submarines are also built which use hydrogen-rich fuel.
• Hot liquid hydrogen is used in laboratories for various experiments.
• Liquid hydrogen is used to neutralize the heat of neutrons, hence resulting in neutron scattering.

Gaseous hydrogen uses

• Gaseous hydrogen is used in industries to refine petroleum and other fossil fuels sometimes.
• Gaseous hydrogen can be used to treat metals.
• Hydrogen can be used in the Haber ammonia process, in which nitrogen is fixed which is present in the air
•  Producing hydrochloric acid
•  Hydrogen gas is used to manufacture fertilizers.

 Uses of hydrogen in fuel cell

• Modern technology has broken all limits. Now hydrogen’s energy can be used in the cell to fuel big vehicles, space shuttles, and many more. Hydrogen fuels vehicles by chemical reaction instead of combustion.

• Hydrogen cells can be used as a portable source of energy.

•  At house chores and other various day-to-day activities.

Use of Hydrogen in Rocket Fuel

The atoms of hydrogen and oxygen are combined in electrochemical cells, this process releases electricity as a product, and the electricity produced from the reaction is further used as a form of energy or fuel for rockets.

Other uses of hydrogen

• Hydrogen is used in making nitrogenous fertilizers and synthesizing ammonia.

• Hydrogen is used to reduce the metallic ores of metals.

• Hydrogen can reduce metal oxides to metals by chemical reactions.

• Automobile industries are also experimenting with various ways to make hydrogen work as the fuel for their engines.

•  Heavy quantities of hydrogen are being used in petrochemical industries to change the structure or properties of fossil fuels.

Conclusion

So, above, we learned about hydrogen. We learned the preparation of hydrogen in various ways with examples of reactions, the properties hydrogen possesses and the uses of hydrogens lastly. Hydrogen is a highly important element of our society, there is no same alternative against hydrogen, which is what makes hydrogen more important than other elements.