Atomic hydrogen (or nascent hydrogen) consists of individual hydrogen atoms that are not bound together like those in ordinary hydrogen molecules. The species is denoted by H (atomic), contrasted with the usual H2 (dihydrogen or just 'hydrogen') commonly involved in chemical reactions. It is claimed to exist transiently but long enough to effect chemical reactions. According to one claim, nascent hydrogen is generated in situ usually by the reaction of zinc with an acid, aluminium (Devarda's alloy) with sodium hydroxide, or by electrolysis at the cathode. Being monoatomic, H atoms are much more reactive and thus a much more effective reducing agent than ordinary diatomic H2, but again the key question is whether H atoms exist in any chemically meaningful way under the conditions claimed. The concept is more popular in engineering and in older literature on catalysis.
Read more about Nascent Hydrogen: Making Atomic Hydrogen, Uses of Atomic Hydrogen, In Nature, Another Meaning
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