Radiation Physics and Chemistry, vol.238, 2026 (SCI-Expanded, Scopus)
Novel methods of hydrogen production are described at different temperatures (300–1073 K) by water splitting on the surface of stainless steel in thermal and radiation-thermal processes. The amounts of hydrogen produced at 300, 373, 473, 573, 673, 773, 873, 973 and 1073 were 0.75 × 1016, 3.4 × 1016, 5.80 × 1016, 2.0 × 1017, 2.30 × 1018, 3.60 × 1018, 4.10 × 1019, 4.0 × 1020 and 2.8 × 1021 molecules/g. The amounts of hydrogen produced at these temperatures (except 300 K) in radiation-thermal process were 10.30 × 1016, 15.70 × 1016, 5.3 × 1017, 9.50 × 1018, 5.80 × 1018, 4.50 × 1019, 4.2 × 1020 and 3.2 × 1021 molecules/g, respectively. The maximum amounts of hydrogen produced in thermal and radiation-thermal processes were 2.8 × 1021 and 3.2 × 1021 molecules/g at 1073 K and 60 min experimental time with 1.41 Gy/s radiation dose. It has been established that under gamma irradiation of stainless steel + H2O system, contribution of thermal processes for hydrogen production also increased at T˃1073 K. The gravimetric analysis showed more oxidation of stainless steel in radiation-thermal process than in the thermal process. The mechanism of water splitting was determined. The XRD and SEM results showed oxide formation and a change in the surface of stainless steel.