Electrochemical hydrogen production system from ammonia borane in methanol solution

An electrochemical hydrogen production system based on ammonia borane was constructed in a 2 M methanol solution of lithium perchlorate. Cyclic voltammograms of ammonia borane at the Pt anode demonstrated the production of hydrogen by the electrochemical oxidation of ammonia borane in methanol solution for the first time. Hydrogen and NH4B(OCH3)4 were identified as products of the potentiostatic electrolyses by mass spectroscopy, 11B NMR spectroscopy, and gas chromatography. Hydrogen was produced at both electrodes and the current efficiency for hydrogen production at the Pt anode was greater than 100%. The electrochemical data was used to propose a mechanism for the electrochemical production of hydrogen from ammonia borane.