Catalytic activity of cobalt-boron-fluoride particles with different solvent mediums on sodium borohydride hydrolysis for hydrogen generation

ABSTRACT

Catalysts prepared in a different solvent medium have different activities because of its different acidity, basicity and viscosity properties. The synthesis mechanism of cobalt-boron-fluoride in water, propanol and ethanol solvents was evaluated. Characterization studies of cobalt-boron-fluoride catalyst were performed with Brunauer-Emmett-Teller surface area, X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and scanning electron microscopy- energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy measurements. The effects of sodium borohydride (SB), and temperature on the SB hydrolysis reaction with the catalyst samples were studied. The maximum hydrogen generation rate (HGRs) of the cobalt-boron (ethanol solvent) and cobalt-boron-fluoride (ethanol solvent) catalysts were 1942 and 4533 mlmin⁻¹g⁻¹, respectively. The activation energy was 32.45 kJ mol⁻¹.

KEYWORDS:

• Alcohol solvents
• catalyst
• sodium borohydride
• hydrogen
• characterization