Bentonite-Bi activated Al for spontaneous H2 generation

Bentonite is introduced for the first time to activate spontaneous hydrogen generation via aluminum hydrolysis under ambient conditions. The aluminum-based composite 90Al-6.5Bentonite-3.5Bi, wt.% was prepared through powder pressing and sintering at 650 °C under an argon atmosphere. This sample reacts with pure water within 1 s across a temperature range of 0 °C to 30 °C (approximate temperatures), achieving a 100% hydrogen conversion yield at 20 °C. The maximum hydrogen production reaches 1389.59 mL g −1 at 30 °C. The bentonite-activated hydrogen generation in air and at room temperature greatly facilitates the application of hydrogen energy in mobile scenarios.