TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - INORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preferred Material: The aqueous liquid is water, neutral aqueous solutions, basic aqueous solutions, alcohols, or antifreeze solutions including glycols.Preferred Component: The aqueous liquid contains an amount of water greater than or at least two, preferably at least three times the stoichiometric amount of water required to react with the aluminum. The reaction promoters comprise calcium hydroxide, preferably sodium hydroxide, and/or potassium hydroxide. The reaction promoter precursors comprise sodium oxide, calcium oxide, calcium hydride, sodium hydride, and/or lithium hydride.Preferred Composition: The weight of reaction material(s) is less than 25, preferably less than 10% of the total weight of the aluminum and reaction material(s). The weight of sodium hydroxide is between 0.25-10 wt.% of the total weight of aluminum and sodium hydroxide. The weight of potassium hydroxide is between 0.25-25 wt.% of the total weight of aluminum and potassium hydroxide. The weight of sodium oxide is between 0.25-10 wt.% of the total weight of aluminum and sodium oxide. The weight of calcium hydride is between 0.5-50 wt.% of the total weight of aluminum and calcium hydride. The weight of calcium oxide is between 0.5-50 wt.% of the total weight of aluminum and calcium oxide. The weight of sodium hydroxide is between 0.25-10 wt.% of the total weight of aluminum, sodium hydroxide, and sodium oxide. The weight of sodium oxide is between 0.25-10 wt.% of the total weight of aluminum, sodium hydroxide, and sodium oxide. The weight of sodium hydroxide is between 0.25-25 wt.% of the total weight of aluminum, sodium hydroxide, and calcium hydride. The weight of calcium hydride is between 0.25-10 wt.% of the total weight of aluminum, sodium hydroxide, and calcium hydride. EXAMPLE - Aluminum powder (0.475 g) and sodium hydroxide powder (0.025 g) were mixed together. The mixture was stirred and heated to maintain a temperature of 60degreesC. The hydrogen generation reaction was initiated by injecting water (4 g). The hydrogen generated from the reaction flowed through a stainless steel knockout drum placed in an ice water bath to remove water vapor. The total amount of hydrogen generated was 608 standard cm3, which represents a yield of 85% (amount of hydrogen generated divided by theoretical amount of hydrogen generated from complete reaction). The pH in the reactor at the end of the experiments was 11.75.