Hydrogen generation from the hydrolysis of ammonia borane using cobalt-nickel-phosphorus (Co–Ni–P) catalyst supported on Pd-activated TiO2 by electroless deposition

Catalytically active, low-cost, and reusable transition metal catalysts are desired to develop on-demand hydrogen generation system for practical onboard applications. By using electroless deposition method, we have prepared the Pd-activated TiO2-supported Co–Ni–P ternary alloy catalyst (Co–Ni–P/Pd–TiO2) that can effectively promote the hydrogen release from ammonia-borane aqueous solution. Co–Ni–P/Pd–TiO2 catalysts are stable enough to be isolated as solid materials and characterized by XRD, SEM, and EDX. They are isolable, redispersible and reusable as an active catalyst in the hydrolysis of AB. The reported work also includes the full experimental details for the collection of a wealth of kinetic data to determine the activation energy (Ea = 54.9 kJ mol−1) and effects of the amount of catalyst, amount of substrate, and temperature on the rate for the catalytic hydrolysis of AB. Maximum H2 generation rate of ∼60 mL H2 min−1 (g catalyst)−1 and ∼400 mL H2 min−1 (g catalyst)−1 was measured by the hydrolysis of AB at 25 °C and 55 °C, respectively.