Highly efficient hydrogen production from KBH4 hydrolysis with amorphous Co-B decorated MXene catalyst

Abstract

Developing cost-effective and durable catalysts for potassium borohydride (KBH₄) hydrolysis is critical for advancing hydrogen energy applications. Herein, we report an amorphous cobalt boride (Co-B) catalyst supported on MXene (Co-B/MXene) synthesized through an in-situ reduction and assembly strategy. Systematic investigations reveal that MXene not only prevents Co-B agglomeration but also enhances electronic interactions, thereby optimizing catalytic activity. Under optimal conditions, the Co-B/MXene composite achieves an exceptional hydrogen generation rate of 4637 mL min⁻¹ g⁻¹ with a remarkably low activation energy of 24.62 kJ mol⁻¹, surpassing most reported Co-based catalysts. Furthermore, the catalyst retains 51.4 % of its initial activity after five cycles, demonstrating moderate reusability. This work highlights MXene as a promising support for designing high-performance borohydride hydrolysis catalysts and provides insights into electronic structure modulation for energy conversion applications.