schwarz,
It's better to start a new thread (especially, don't append upon a nonsensical burning of saltwater thread!).
Re the Purdue idea, which briefly uses gallium to enhance the corrosion of aluminum:
Al + 3 H2O = Al(OH)3 + 3/2 H2(gas)
Metal finishers (anodizers, platers, extruders) have long used the etching reaction
2 Al + 2 NaOH --> 2 NaAlO2 + H2(gas)
This reaction was used during World War I by the US Army to generate H2 in the field for spotter balloons. The Iraqi Army in early 2001 had almost identical trailers for H2 generation (mis-identified as bio-weapons labs).
Eco-Tec has a caustic soda (NaOH) recovery unit which recovers the NaOH for further use, and hydrated alumina which goes to a primary aluminum producers for Al recovery. It uses the well-known Bayer process (a hydrolysis reaction):
2 NaAlO2 + 4H2O --> 2 NaOH + Al2O3.3H2O
Combining the latter 2 reactions and simplifying,
2 Al + 4H2O --> Al2O3.3H2O + H2(gas)
Not as much hydrogen per aluminum, but it doesn't require gallium (which is of limited supply, with price being driven up by semiconductor mfrs.).