Ti promotes the reaction of Al alloy with water to rapidly generate hydrogen

Al-3Ga-3In-3Sn alloy activated by Ti was prepared using a smelting and casting method. The microstructures and phase composition were investigated by means of scanning electron microscope (SEM) with energy dispersive x-ray spectrometer (EDX) and x-ray diffraction (XRD). The melting point of the grain boundary phase was measured using a differential scanning calorimeter (DSC). The results showed that with adding 0.3 wt% Ti, particles of the Al alloy are refined and changed from the original column shape to an equiaxed shape, and particle size reduced from 70 μ m to 30 μ m. The grain boundary phase is more uniformly distributed in the Al-3Ga-3In-3Sn-0.3%Ti alloy than in the Al-3Ga-3In-3Sn alloy. In the Al-3Ga-3In-3Sn alloy, in addition to the GIS phase (Ga–In–Sn eutectic) low-melting point grain boundary phase, there is an endothermic peak caused by the reaction of Al and In 3 Sn. However, the peak caused by the reaction of Al and In 3 Sn in the Al-3Ga-3In-3Sn-0.3%Ti alloy disappears, and only the presence of the GIS phase promotes the reaction of the Al alloy. The reaction of Al splitting water is carried out at 20 °C, 40 °C, 60 °C respectively. As the reaction temperature increases, hydrogen production and reaction rate increases. When the content of the Ti is 0.3 wt% of the weight of the Al alloy ingot, the grain size of the Al crystal is reduced, the uniform distribution of the grain boundary phase, and the transformation of the low melting point phase promote the reaction of the Al alloy.