Enhanced Hydrogen Production Performance of NaBH₄ by CoWB Nanoparticles Supported on Flower-shaped Double Metals Hydroxide

Abstract

Here, a novel composite nano-catalyst (CoWB/CoNiFe-LDH) has been synthesized using a doping strategy for catalytic hydrolysis of NaBH₄. The Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) analysis show that the CoNiFe-LDH holds a stable three-dimensional porous flower-shaped structure. Meanwhile, CoWB nanoparticles (NPs) can be well dispersed on the surface of CoNiFe-LDH to benefit exposing more active sites and improving the performance of NaBH₄ hydrolysis. And hydrogen production rate studies demonstrate that the CoWB/CoNiFe-LDH catalyst exhibits good catalytic activity, which makes NaBH₄ hold a low hydrolysis activation energy of 30.84 kJ·mol^-1 and a high hydrogen production rate of 6748.8 mL·min^-1·g^-1 at 30°C. Furthermore, after five cycles, the CoWB/CoNiFe-LDH remains at 67.50% of its original activity, which is higher than that of single CoWB NPs (24.10%) and CoWB/CoNi-LDH (53.60%). It is evident that the CoWB/CoNiFe-LDH catalyst displays enhanced cycling stability. At the same time, the mechanism of hydrogen generation from NaBH₄ catalyzed by CoWB/CoNiFe-LDH is investigated.