Dehydrogenation of sodium borohydride and ammonia borane over cobalt-based catalysts: advances and prospects

Abstract

Chemical hydrogen storage is acknowledged as a promising approach for hydrogen storage, offering numerous advantages, such as high energy density, enhanced safety, and environmental adaptability, as well as potential economic benefits. Among the chemical hydrogen storage materials that have been reported, sodium borohydride and ammonia borane have attracted considerable scholarly interest due to their capacity to release hydrogen conveniently via solvolysis processes, such as hydrolysis and methanolysis, under ambient temperature conditions. Cobalt-based nanocatalysts, as representatives of non-noble metals, have been extensively investigated as cost-effective and efficient catalysts for hydrogen evolution from the solvolysis of sodium borohydride and ammonia borane. Nevertheless, a comprehensive review specifically focusing on cobalt-based catalysts for hydrogen production from sodium borohydride and ammonia borane has yet to be published. In this review, we provide a comprehensive summary of the historical development and recent advancements in cobalt-based catalysts for hydrogen generation from sodium borohydride and ammonia borane, encompassing synthesis methods, notable performances, and potential catalytic mechanisms. Our objective is to establish a reliable structure–property relationship and offer guidance for the future design of catalysts for hydrogen evolution from sodium borohydride and ammonia borane.