Page 18 - Fuel Cell Student Edition
P. 18
7. Wrap the long bare end around the bottom of
the 5mL tube between the start of the cone
and the 1mL mark.
8. Bend the wire toward the top of the tube and
secure it with electrical tape. Do not cover the
bare end of the wire with tape
9. Measure out 20mL of NaOH solution. The
white material surrounding the cap is sodium
carbonate. It is a byproduct of the NaOH solution
reacting with CO in the air space at the top of
2
the bottle. Pour 10mL of the NaOH electrolyte
solution into the carbon bottle slowly. When
the carbon bubbling slows, pour in the other
half to make a total dispensed volume of 20mL.
LAB PROCEDURE WARNING!
NaOH is extremely caustic! It will burn
1. Fold the Zinc strip to fit in the 5mL tube below your skin within minutes of exposure
the 4 mL mark. and may cause permanent blindness,
even at low concentrations. Wear eye
2. Cut a piece of wire 140mm (5.5”). Strip one protection and gloves until the fuel cell
end back 12mm (½”). Strip the other end is sealed in step 11. If you are exposed
50mm (2”). to NaOH, immediately flush the
affected area with large quantities of
3. Wrap the longer bare end of the wire around the water and alert your instructor.
end of the zinc strip a few times until the wire
insulation is touching the zinc strip.
4. Place the zinc strip/wire assembly into the 10. With the blue cap end facing up, insert the
5mL tube. 5mL tube assembly into the bottle until it is
resting on the bottom of the bottle. You may
5. Thread the wire through the cap and screw press the tube gently down to get it into place,
the cap onto the tube. Push the wire down to but try not to push hard enough to disrupt
ensure that the zinc is at the bottom of the the coil of wire surrounding the tube.
tube.
11. Wrap a length of electrical tape tightly around
6. Cut a piece of wire 215mm (8.5”) long and the top of the entire fuel cell assembly to keep
strip one end back 12mm (½”). Strip the other it from leaking if it accidentally gets tipped
end 95mm (3.75”). over.
18 TOTAL REDOX™ – FUEL CELLS TOTAL REDOX™ – FUEL CELLS 19
