Efficient catalysts for Hydrogen production by hydrolysis of chemical hydrides
In the next few decades, global energy resources will be facing a major breakdown due to increasing requirement for energy. Hydrogen is very important as future energy vector whose application areas range from the vehicular transport to energy batteries. Moreover, there is almost zero emission of environment pollutants when hydrogen is used as a fuel in proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC). For a clean hydrogen-based technology it is essential to develop a safe and convenient hydrogen storage and production systems. On-board hydrogen production is becoming increasingly important as a potential route to supply hydrogen to PEMFC. Chemical hydrides with high hydrogen storage gravimetric and volumetric efficiencies are the most potential candidates to supply pure hydrogen for portable application at room temperature. Among them, aqueous sodium borohydride (NaBH4) seems to be an ideal hydrogen source because of its distinct advantages of hydrogen generation by its hydrolysis, making it promising for on-board hydrogen generation for portable PEM fuel cells. The hydrogen generation rate can be significantly enhanced by using catalyst during the hydrolysis reaction. Cobalt boride (Co–B) is considered a good candidate owing to its relevant catalytic activity and low cost. Co–B-based powder catalysts (CoCrB, CoNiB, and CoBP) and Co-B thin films catalyst (prepared by pulsed laser deposition technique) are studied and discussed for Hydrogen generation by catalytic hydrolysis of sodium borohydride (NaBH4).