Boosting the Reaction Rate of Blocky Aluminum–Water via Ultrasound-Based Surface Engineering in Room-Temperature Liquid Metal Solvent

Hydrogen gas holds immense promise as a clean fuel source, yet its widespread adoption faces significant challenges in storage and transportation due to its gaseous and highly flammable nature. An increasingly attractive approach to overcoming these limitations involves reacting aluminum (Al) blocks with water to produce hydrogen, providing an alternative distribution mechanism in which Al blocks can be used as "hydrogen storage" for on-demand production at any location. However, current methods suffer poor hydrogen production rates and yields, primarily influenced by the limited contact area between Al and the catalyst, such as Ga-based room-temperature liquid metal. Herein, we introduce an energy-efficient pretreatment method to enhance hydrogen conversion efficiency by leveraging ultrasound-based surface engineering of Al blocks in a Galinstan solvent. Our strategy facilitates rapid penetration of Galinstan into the Al block microstructures via ultrasound-induced metal jets, allowing maximum contact between Al and Galinstan within a short period of time, by which the hydrogen production rates and yields of block Al are greatly improved. Overall, our results mark a significant advancement in hydrogen production methods, presenting a viable pathway toward sustainable and efficient hydrogen generation and storage.