EXPERIMENT 1: In this experiment I used a thoroughly washed, round, 12 ounce glass container for my cell (1). I filled the container with a solution of 75% water and 25% of a solution of (25%NaOH/KOH/75% water) electrolyte (2). I then inserted two electrodes made from non-ferrous, food grade stainless (1" x 4" x 1/8") into the cell, on opposite sides (3). I connected my multimeter, one lead to each electrode, and turned it on at the 2 volt DC setting. Then I connected my power source, a 12 volt DC battery charger. I then took two ceramic magnets which measured 2 1/2" x 1 1/2" x 1/2" and placed one on either side of the cell, outside the cell, adjacent to the electrodes (4). The poles of the magnets were oriented as shown in the figure below.
With the cell set up as illustrated I turned on the power
and got a reading on the multimeter which was slightly higher than it had
been without the magnets. Whether this was due to the magnets or to the
cell having been just "started" is not clear at this point. However, the
purpose of this paper is to record and attempt to interpret data relating
to various other phenomena associated with the influence of permanent magnets
on water in general and on electrolysis cells in particular and the influence
of the fields around the electrodes themselves.
To these ends the exact behavior of the electrical component will be only briefly mentioned where necessary. But I did take the time to measure the cell's performance with and without the magnets and under powered and un-powered conditions and there did seem to be a measurable difference in the voltage drop across the cell when the magnets were present as opposed to when the magnets had been removed.
From this observation I concluded that the use of permanent magnets outside the cell was indeed having some effect on the performance of the cell. In light of this result I decided to continue this aspect of the research and devised another experiment.
EXPERIMENT #2: This experiment started out to be a simple variation on experiment #1 (above) but it ended up opening up a whole new avenue of possibilities. I thought that, if I moved the magnets into the cell itself and immediately adjacent to the electrodes, that I might get better results than I had in the first experiment.
I used the same type of container and electrolyte as in experiment #1. Before I inserted the magnets into the cell though I did some simple tests on them. First, I wanted to see if they were conductive (to prevent a short circuit within the cell) and I tested them by hooking the leads from the power source directly across the magnet. I turned the power source on and observed that no current flowed through the magnet. I concluded that they were non-conductive and so presented no danger of a short circuit.
Next I wanted to be sure that the magnets were inert to
the effects of the electrolyte within the solution (NaOH/KOH). I soaked
the magnets overnight in a concentrated solution of electrolyte and water.
There was no obvious decomposition of the magnet the next morning.
I concluded that the magnets were non-conductors and that they would
probably not be damaged by immersion in the electrolyte solution.