Catalytic hydrolysis of sodium borohydride by a novel nickel–cobalt–boride catalyst

With the aim of designing an efficient hydrogen generator for portable fuel cell applications nickel–cobalt–boride (Ni–Co–B) catalysts were prepared by a chemical reduction method and their catalytic hydrolysis reaction with alkaline NaBH4 solution was studied. The performance of the catalysts prepared from NaBH4 solution with NaOH, and without NaOH show different hydrogen generation kinetics. The rate of hydrogen generation was measured using Ni–Co–B catalyst as a function of the concentrations of NaOH and NaBH4, as well as the reaction temperature, in the hydrolysis of alkaline NaBH4 solution. The hydrogen generation rate increases for lower NaOH concentrations in the alkaline NaBH4 solution and decreases after reaching a maximum at 15 wt.% of NaOH. The hydrogen generation rate is found to be constant with respect to the concentration of NaBH4 in the alkaline NaBH4 solution. The activation energy for hydrogen generation is found to be 62 kJ mol−1, which is comparable with that of hydrogen generation by a ruthenium catalyst.