[cyclic]

Aluminum Cathode and Copper anode with 12v through NaOH solution. What will form? Will I get Na ions at the the anode and OH ions at the cathode along with gaseous H and O? Or will the aluminum be oxidized further?

Guess Im trying to ask if NaOH works as an electrolyte with Cu and Al nodes.

[mugabo daniel]

 i dont think NaOH solution can act as an electrolyte. it needs a soluble salt solution, molten salt solution, conc. or dilute acid solution or water.
it is just that i have never seen it being used anywhere.

[Arkcon]

i dont think NaOH solution can act as an electrolyte. it needs a soluble salt solution, molten salt solution, conc. or dilute acid solution or water.
it is just that i have never seen it being used anywhere.

NaOH is a water soluble ionic solid and its solution in water is most definitely an electrolyte.

[amorale]

Well NaOH is a strong base and therefore a strong electrolyte so it will work.

I have to point out that 12v might make your experiment very messy, you will probably get a lot of bubbles and your electrodes might start loosing a lot of mass. Usually anything over like 4-5 volts will destroy any chemical bond.

Also I did an experiment on something related a couple of weeks ago in which I was running a current in a buffer using two Titanium electrodes and at about 2.5V I could see the electrodes loosing mass do to the volts.

Hope this helps gl.
  

[mugabo daniel]

thanks Arkcon, guess i should also start using it where applicable

[Borek]

Al will dissolve in NaOH.